ver Widewood
and in Suez, principally due, he insisted with a very agreeable dignity,
to Mr. March's courageous and untiring perseverance.

"It's true you couldn't have succeeded without some support from such
resolute and catholic spirits as Major Garnet and President Gamble; but
when I lately spoke to them they said emphatically that, in comparison
with you, they had done nothing; and Mr. Leggett, who was present,
confirmed them and included himself. He had brought them to me to urge
me to take a few shares which were for the moment available. The holder,
I believe, was the lady who teaches French here in the Academy,
Mademoiselle Eglantine; yes. I have no money to invest, however, and Mr.
Leggett tells me she has changed her mind again and will keep the stock,
which I am sure is wise. The Construction Company?--I think it an
excellent idea; admirable! I mustn't detain you, Mr. March, though I
have a request to make. Possibly you know that our more advanced
students gather for an hour or so once a week in what we've named our
Social Hall, for various forms of profitable entertainment? Now and then
we have the good fortune to have some man of mark address us informally,
and if you, Mr. March, would do so, there's no one else in this region
whom our young people would be so pleased to hear."

John thanked the president for the honor. If there was only something,
anything, on which he was really qualified to speak--but----

"Mr. March, speak on the imperative need of organized effort
harmoniously combined, for the accomplishment of almost all large
undertakings! Or on the growing necessity men find to trust their
interest in one another's hands! Oh! you can hardly be at a loss for a
theme, I'm sure; but those are points which, it seems to me, our state
of society here makes it especially needful to emphasize. Don't you
think so, Mr. March?"

Mr. March thought so; ahem! There was a pause, and then they talked of
the loveliness of the season. The temperature, they decided, must be
about seventy-seven. And what a night the last one had been! Mr. March
had attended a meeting of the land company's board, which did not
adjourn until very late, but he simply had to take a long walk in the
starlight afterward, and even when that was done he stayed up until an
absurd hour writing a description of the glorious Southern night to a
friend in New England who was still surrounded by frozen hills and
streams.

"I hardly know an e