orld. Most of 'em were here long before papa came, and
the grandfathers of the girls of my age knew each other, and--"

"I see," Bibbs interrupted, gravely. "Their ancestors fled together
from many a stricken field, and Crusaders' blood flows in their veins. I
always understood the first house was built by an old party of the name
of Vertrees who couldn't get along with Dan'l Boone, and hurried away to
these parts because Dan'l wanted him to give back a gun he'd lent him."

Edith gave a little ejaculation of alarm. "You mustn't repeat that
story, Bibbs, even if it's true. The Vertreeses are THE best family, and
of course the very oldest here; they were an old family even before
Mary Vertrees's great-great-grandfather came west and founded this
settlement. He came from Lynn, Massachusetts, and they have relatives
there YET--some of the best people in Lynn!"

"No!" exclaimed Bibbs, incredulously.

"And there are other old families like the Vertreeses," she went on,
not heeding him; "the Lamhorns and the Kittersbys and the J. Palmerston
Smiths--"

"Strange names to me," he interrupted. "Poor things! None of them have
my acquaintance."

"No, that's just it!" she cried. "And papa had never even heard the name
of Vertrees! Mrs. Vertrees went with some anti-smoke committee to see
him, and he told her that smoke was what made her husband bring home his
wages from the pay-roll on Saturday night! HE told us about it, and I
thought I just couldn't live through the night, I was so ashamed! Mr.
Vertrees has always lived on his income, and papa didn't know him, of
course. They're the stiffist, most elegant people in the whole town. And
to crown it all, papa went and bought the next lot to the old Vertrees
country mansion--it's in the very heart of the best new residence
district now, and that's where the New House is, right next door to
them--and I must say it makes their place look rather shabby! I met Mary
Vertrees when I joined the Mission Service Helpers, but she never did
any more than just barely bow to me, and since papa's break I doubt if
she'll do that! They haven't called."

"And you think if I spread this gossip about Vertrees the First stealing
Dan'l Boone's gun, the chances that they WILL call--"

"Papa knows what a break he made with Mrs. Vertrees. I made him
understand that," said Edith, demurely, "and he's promised to try and
meet Mr. Vertrees and be nice to him. It's just this way: if we don't
know THEM, it'