es. Every servant in
good standing in our community was permitted to come and see and
buy and say 'Charge it.'

"Mrs. Warburton's ball for the servants of Pointview, to be given in
the Town Hall, was coming near. It happened that the committee of
arrangements included Marie and the young Reverend Robert Knowles.
Their intimacy began in the work of that committee. For days they rode
about in the minister's motor-car getting ready for the ball and for
the greater intimacy that followed it.

"Our ball sent its radiance over land and sea. Sunbursts shone like
stars in the Milky Way. A fine orchestra furnished music. Reporters
from New York and other cities were present.

"The nurses, cooks, kitchen-girls, laundresses, and chambermaids of
Pointview were radiant in silk, lace, diamonds, pearls, and rubies.
The costumes were brilliant, but all in good taste. Alabaster? Why, my
dear boy, they would have made the swell set resemble a convention of
beanpoles. For the matter of busts, they busted the record!

"The only mishap occurred when Bertha Schimpfelheim--some call her Big
Bertha--slipped and fell in a waltz, injuring the knee of her
companion. To my surprise the brainiest of these working-folk saw the
satire in which they were taking part, and entered into it with all
the more spirit because they knew.

[Illustration: "RADIANT IN SILK, LACE, DIAMONDS, PEARLS, AND RUBIES"]

"The presence of Mr. Warburton, Mr. and Mrs. Delance, Marie, and the
Reverend Robert Knowles on the floor insured proper decorum and lent
an air of seriousness to the event. It proved an effective background
for Marie. She shone like a pigeon-blood ruby among garnets. She wore
no jewels, and was distinguished only by her beauty and the simplicity
of her costume and the unmistakable evidence of good breeding in her
face and manners.

"Harry sat with me in the gallery.

"'She's wonderful!' he exclaimed. 'All this rococo ware simply
emphasizes her charm. Only a girl of brains could carry it off as she
does. She's among them and yet apart. An old duke once told me that if
you want to know the rank of a lady, observe how she treats an
inferior. It's quite true. By Jove! I'm in love with Marie, and I'm
going to make her my wife if possible.'

"'That's one really substantial result of the ball,' I said.

"'Do you think that she cares for Knowles--that minister chap?'"

"'I'm inclined to think that she likes you better,' I said.

"'Is your inclinat