ey're doing such noble work, you know."

Even the eminent Mrs. Charleworth, premier aristocrat of Dorfield,
condescended to visit the Shop, not once but many times. She would sit
in one of the chairs in the rear of the long room and hold open court,
while her sycophants grouped around her, hanging on her words. For Mrs.
Charleworth's status was that of social leader; she was a middle-aged
widow, very handsome, wore wonderful creations in dress, was of
charming personality, was exceedingly wealthy and much traveled. When
she visited New York the metropolitan journals took care to relate the
interesting fact. Mrs. Charleworth was quite at home in London, Paris,
Berlin and Vienna; she was visiting friends in Dresden when the
European war began, and by advice of Herr Zimmerman, of the German
Foreign Office, who was in some way a relative, had come straight home
to avoid embarrassment. This much was generally known.

It had been a matter of public information in the little town for a
generation that Dick Charleworth had met the lady in Paris, when she
was at the height of her social glory, and had won the hand of the
beautiful girl and brought her to Dorfield as his wife. But the wealthy
young manufacturer did not long survive his marriage. On his death, his
widow inherited his fortune and continued to reside in the handsome
residence he had built, although, until the war disrupted European
society, she passed much time abroad.

The slight taint of German blood in Mrs. Charleworth's veins was not
regarded seriously in Dorfield. Her mother had been a Russian court
beauty; she spoke several languages fluently; she was discreet in
speech and negative in sympathy concerning the merits of the war. This
lasted, however, only while the United States preserved neutrality. As
soon as we cast our fortunes with the Allies, Mrs. Charleworth
organized the "Daughters of Helpfulness," an organization designed to
aid our national aims, but a society cult as well. Under its auspices
two private theatrical entertainments had been given at the Opera House
and the proceeds turned over to the Red Cross. A grand charity ball had
been announced for a future date.

It may easily be understood that when Mrs. Charleworth became a
patroness of the Liberty Girls' Shop, and was known to have made sundry
purchases there, the high standing of that unique enterprise was
assured. Some folks perhaps frequented the place to obtain a glimpse of
the great M