tainly. Quite a good-looking girl--one of Mildred's
friends. How queer!"

Mildred looked up, as if in a little alarm, but did not speak. Her
mother set matters straight. "Fathers ARE amusing," she said smilingly
to Russell, who was looking at her, though how fixedly she did not
notice; for she turned from him at once to enlighten her husband. "Every
girl who meets Mildred, and tries to push the acquaintance by coming
here until the poor child has to hide, isn't a FRIEND of hers, my dear!"

Mildred's eyes were downcast again, and a faint colour rose in her
cheeks. "Oh, I shouldn't put it quite that way about Alice Adams," she
said, in a low voice. "I saw something of her for a time. She's not
unattractive in a way."

Mrs. Palmer settled the whole case of Alice carelessly. "A pushing sort
of girl," she said. "A very pushing little person."

"I----" Mildred began; and, after hesitating, concluded, "I rather
dropped her."

"Fortunate you've done so," her father remarked, cheerfully. "Especially
since various members of the Lamb connection are here frequently. They
mightn't think you'd show great tact in having her about the place." He
laughed, and turned to his cousin. "All this isn't very interesting to
poor Arthur. How terrible people are with a newcomer in a town; they
talk as if he knew all about everybody!"

"But we don't know anything about these queer people, ourselves," said
Mrs. Palmer. "We know something about the girl, of course--she used to
be a bit too conspicuous, in fact! However, as you say, we might find a
subject more interesting for Arthur."

She smiled whimsically upon the young man. "Tell the truth," she said.
"Don't you fairly detest going into business with that tyrant yonder?"

"What? Yes--I beg your pardon!" he stammered.

"You were right," Mrs. Palmer said to her husband. "You've bored him so,
talking about thievish clerks, he can't even answer an honest question."

But Russell was beginning to recover his outward composure. "Try me
again," he said. "I'm afraid I was thinking of something else."

This was the best he found to say. There was a part of him that wanted
to protest and deny, but he had not heat enough, in the chill that had
come upon him. Here was the first "mention" of Alice, and with it the
reason why it was the first: Mr. Palmer had difficulty in recalling her,
and she happened to be spoken of, only because her father's betrayal of
a benefactor's trust had been so peculia