other. As a newspaper man I'm
something of an impostor; I hope I'm only a passing pilgrim in the
business."

Dan faced Mrs. Bassett as he made this explanation, and he was
conscious, as he turned toward the master of the house, that Bassett was
observing him intently. His gaze was so direct and searching that
Harwood was disconcerted for a moment; then Bassett remarked
carelessly,--

"I should think newspaper work a good training for the law. It drills
faculties that a lawyer exercises constantly."

Mrs. Bassett now made it possible for Marian and young Blackford to
contribute to the conversation.

"I'm going to Annapolis," announced the boy.

"You've had a change of heart," said his father, with a smile. "It was
West Point last week."

"Well, it will be Annapolis next week," the lad declared; and then, as
if to explain his abandonment of a military career, "In the Navy you get
to see the world, and in the Army you're likely to be stuck away at some
awful place on the Plains where you never see anything. The Indians are
nearly all killed anyhow."

"We hear a good deal nowadays about the higher education of woman," Mrs.
Bassett remarked, "and I suppose girls should be prepared to earn their
own living. Mothers of daughters have that to think about."

Miss Marian, catching Dan's eye, smiled as though to express her full
appreciation of the humor of her mother's remark.

"Mama learned that from my Aunt Sally," she ventured; and Dan saw that
she was an independent spirit, given to daring sayings, and indulged in
them by her parents.

"Well, Aunt Sally is the wisest woman in the world," replied Mrs.
Bassett, with emphasis. "It would be to your credit if you followed her,
my dear."

Marian ignored her mother's rebuke and addressed herself to the visitor.

"Aunt Sally lives in Indianapolis and I go there to Miss Waring's
School. I'm just home for Sunday."

"Mrs. Owen is my aunt; you may have heard of her, Mr. Harwood; she was
my father's only sister."

"Oh, _the_ Mrs. Owen! Of course every one has heard of her; and I knew
that she was Senator Singleton's sister. I am sorry to say I don't know
her."

Unconsciously the sense of Morton Bassett's importance deepened. In
marrying Mrs. Jackson Owen's niece Bassett had linked himself to the
richest woman at the state capital. He had not encumbered himself with a
crude wife from the countryside, but had married a woman with important
connections. Blackford Singlet