yes returned to his smiling hostess.

"Most people make a great fuss about hot weather," she said. "The only
person I know who doesn't mind the heat the way other people do is
Alice. She always seems as cool as if we had a breeze blowing, no matter
how hot it is. But then she's so amiable she never minds anything. It's
just her character. She's always been that way since she was a little
child; always the same to everybody, high and low. I think character's
the most important thing in the world, after all, don't you, Mr.
Russell?"

"Yes," he said, solemnly; and touched his bedewed white forehead with a
handkerchief.

"Indeed it is," she agreed with herself, never failing to continue her
murmur of laughter. "That's what I've always told Alice; but she never
sees anything good in herself, and she just laughs at me when I praise
her. She sees good in everybody ELSE in the world, no matter how
unworthy they are, or how they behave toward HER; but she always
underestimates herself. From the time she was a little child she was
always that way. When some other little girl would behave selfishly or
meanly toward her, do you think she'd come and tell me? Never a word
to anybody! The little thing was too proud! She was the same way about
school. The teachers had to tell me when she took a prize; she'd bring
it home and keep it in her room without a word about it to her father
and mother. Now, Walter was just the other way. Walter would----" But
here Mrs. Adams checked herself, though she increased the volume of
her laughter. "How silly of me!" she exclaimed. "I expect you know how
mothers ARE, though, Mr. Russell. Give us a chance and we'll talk about
our children forever! Alice would feel terribly if she knew how I've
been going on about her to you."

In this Mrs. Adams was right, though she did not herself suspect it,
and upon an almost inaudible word or two from him she went on with her
topic. "Of course my excuse is that few mothers have a daughter like
Alice. I suppose we all think the same way about our children, but SOME
of us must be right when we feel we've got the best. Don't you think
so?"

"Yes. Yes, indeed."

"I'm sure _I_ am!" she laughed. "I'll let the others speak for
themselves." She paused reflectively. "No; I think a mother knows
when she's got a treasure in her family. If she HASN'T got one, she'll
pretend she has, maybe; but if she has, she knows it. I certainly
know _I_ have. She's always been what p