is paper and looked at the stock-list. Once he had
owned a hundred shares of one of the Industrials. He had long since
sold out, not at a loss, but the stock had risen since. He always
noted it with an odd feeling of proprietorship, in spite of not
owning any. He saw with pride that it had advanced half a point.

Maria worked silently; and as she worked she dreamed, and the dream
was visible on her face, had any one been astute enough to understand
it. She was working a lace collar to wear with a certain blue blouse,
and upon that flimsy keystone was erecting an air-castle. She was
going to the Elliot Academy, wearing the blue blouse and the lace
collar, and looking so lovely that Wollaston Lee worshipped her. She
invented little love-scenes, love-words, and caresses. She blushed,
and dimples appeared at the corners of her mouth, the blue light of
her eyes under her downcast lids was like the light of living gems.
She viewed with complacency her little, soft white hands plying the
needle. Maria had hands like a little princess. She cast a glance at
the toe of her tiny shoe. She remembered how somebody had told her to
keep her shoulders straight, and she threw them back with a charming
motion, as if they had been wings. She was entirely oblivious of her
father's covert glances. She was solitary, isolated in the crystal of
her own thoughts. Presently, Evelyn woke and cried, and Maria roused
herself with a start and ran up-stairs. Soon the two came into the
room, Evelyn dancing with the uncertain motion of a winged seed on a
spring wind. She was charming. One round cheek was more deeply
flushed than the other, and creased with the pillow. Her yellow hair,
fine and soft and full of electric life, tossed like a little crest.
She ran with both fat little hands spread palms outward, and pounced
violently upon her father. Harry rolled her about on his knee, and
played with her as if she had been a kitten. Maria stood by laughing.
The child was fairly screaming with mirth.

A graceful figure passed the window, its garments tightly wrapped by
the wind, flying out like a flag behind. Harry set the little girl
down at once.

"Here is mamma coming," said he. "Go to sister and she will show you
the pictures in the book papa brought home the other day."

Evelyn obeyed. She was a docile little thing, and she had a fear of
her mother without knowing why. She was sitting beside Maria, looking
demurely at the pictures which her sister