circle was enlarged, without
divining that the sprightly narration was a thorn in the flesh of her
hearer. Selma was capricious in her reception of these reports of
progress. At times she listened to them with grave, cold eyes, which
Flossy took for signals of noble disdain and sought to deprecate by
wooing promises to be less worldly. At others she asked questions with a
feverish, searching curiosity, which stimulated Mrs. Williams's free and
independent style into running commentaries on the current course of
social events and the doings and idiosyncracies of contemporary leaders
of fashion whom she had viewed from afar. One afternoon Selma saw from
her window Flossy and her husband drive jubilantly away in a high cart
with yellow wheels drawn by a sleek cob, and at the same moment she
became definitely aware that her draught from the cup of life had a
bitter taste. Why should these people drive in their own vehicle rather
than she? It seemed clear to her that Wilbur could not be making the
best use of his talents, and that she had both a grievance against him
and a sacred duty to perform in his and her own behalf. Justice and
self-respect demanded that their mutual light should no longer be hid
under a bushel.

CHAPTER V.

Pauline Littleton was now established in her new lodgings. Having been
freed by her brother's marriage from the responsibilities of a
housewife, she was able to concentrate her attention on the work in
which she was interested. Her classes absorbed a large portion of her
time. The remainder was devoted to writing to girls in other cities who
sought her advice in regard to courses of study, and to correspondence,
consultation, and committee meetings with a group of women in New York
and elsewhere, who like herself were engrossed in educational matters.
She was glad to have the additional time thus afforded her for pursuing
her own tastes, and the days seemed too short for what she wished to
accomplish. She occupied two pleasant rooms within easy walking distance
of her brother's house. Her classes took her from home four days in the
week, and two mornings in every seven were spent at her desk with her
books and papers, in the agreeable labor of planning and correspondence.

Naturally one of her chief desires was to be on loving terms with her
brother's wife, and to do everything in her power to add to Selma's
happiness. She summoned her women friends to meet her sister-in-law at
afternoon t