enuine fatherly tenderness in his manner showed the
girl plainly that his happiness was brought about mainly by the fact
that it advanced him several rungs in the social ladder, and not
because she was going to marry a man who would make her happy.

"He is a splendid catch," were Mr. Stanton's words on first hearing the
news. "He belongs to a fine solid family and you will have _entree_
into the first establishments in America and Europe."

Helene was instinctively repelled by the manner of his congratulations.
Not one solitary word was uttered as to love, happiness, or the sacred
nature of marriage itself, not a regret at parting with her; nothing
but an adding up of the advantages that would accrue to him from a
social point of view.

"The Van Nesses and the de Morelles can't refuse to meet us now. We
can snap our fingers at them! Bravo, my girl, you have achieved a
splendid victory. They can't dig up hidden and dead scandals now."

Helene had never known that the Van Nesses and the de Morelles had
refused to meet them. She knew that several of the historic New York
families did not make it a point to ask them to their functions, but
she had always thought it was because her father was personally
unpopular with the more exclusive set. His reference to hidden and
dead scandals she did not in the least understand, for she had heard
nothing.

"At a moment like this," Helene thought, "if he had only opened his
heart, if he would only let me love him!" But no, he had not shown the
slightest encouragement, not a particle of sentiment.

"With your husband's people and my money back of you," he said, "you
ought to become a leader, nothing less than a leader! I'd give half a
million to see you take Julia Van Ness's place."

Helene was disappointed. "Oh, father, please don't speak of those
things now! It's not a question of social advantage. It's my whole
future happiness; my whole life itself is Involved."

"Do you know, Helene, you are rather selfish in your love affair as I
suppose you call it," cried Mr. Stanton angrily. "My ambition is for
you, not for myself."

"I have no ambition," said Helene, stifling a tendency to burst into
tears, "that is, no social ambition. I love my friends and they love
me. Indeed, father, I have no desire to extend my circle of
acquaintances; I can't do justice to those I know now! If it is for my
sake you are trying to----"

At these words Mr. Stanton completely lost