ou must be crazy, child!"

"Their souls are white, Aunt Kate, and there is no color line on the
Rock of Ages."

"Oh, well, tastes differ," said her aunt carelessly, "but it is a
strange fancy for Judge Hildreth's niece. Next thing you will suggest
going to board with Pompey."

"I might fare a good deal worse," said Evadne with her soft laugh. "Dyce
keeps her rooms like waxwork and she is a capital cook."

"Really, Evadne, I am in despair! You have not an iota of proper pride.
How are you going to maintain your position in society?"

"I don't believe I care to test the question, Aunt Kate; but I think my
position will maintain itself."

"Well said, Evadne," said her uncle, looking up from his paper. "You
will never forget you are a Hildreth, eh?"

"Higher than that, uncle," said Evadne softly. "I am a sister of Jesus
Christ."

"I don't know what to make of the child," said Mrs. Hildreth
discontentedly, as the door closed behind her. "I believe she would
rather associate with such people than with those of her own class. She
has a bowing acquaintance with the most _outre_ looking individuals I
ever saw. I really don't think Dr. Jerome is wise setting young girls to
visit in the German quarter. It doesn't hurt Marion, now. She only does
it as a disagreeable duty and is immensely relieved when her round of
visits is made for the month, but Evadne takes as much interest in them
as if they were her relations. Next thing we know, she will be wanting
to take up slum work. I hope she won't come to any harm down among those
crazy blacks. They always seem to get possessed the moment they touch
religion."

"I do not think Evadne will ever come to any harm," the Judge said
slowly. "The Lord takes pretty good care of his own."

His wife looked at him with a puzzled expression. "I fully intended
going to prayer meeting myself to-night," she said, "but it gets to be a
great tax,--an evening out of every week,--and I do dread the night air
so much."

Mrs. Judge Hildreth dipped her jeweled fingers into the perfumed water
of her finger glass and dried them on her silk-fringed napkin. "Oh,
Lawrence, don't forget Judge Tracer's dinner to-morrow night. You will
have to come home earlier than usual, for it is such a long drive, and
it will never do to keep his mulligatawny waiting. And, by the way, I
made a new engagement for you to-day. Mrs. General Leighton has invited
us to join the Shakespearean Club which she is getting up.