he old fellow represented a lot of gossip. He wished people
would mind their own business. His irritation was a little appeased by
Edith's gay and loving greeting; but she, who knew every shade of his
face, saw it.

"Have you had a worrying day?"

"No; not specially. I've had an hour of old Fairfax, who hasn't any
business of his own to attend to."

"Oh, nobody minds the Major," Edith said, as she gave him a shake and
another kiss; but a sharp pang went through her heart, for she guessed
what had happened, since she had had a visit that afternoon from another
plain-speaking person.

They were staying late in town. Edith, who did not care to travel far,
was going presently to a little cottage by the sea, and Mrs. Schuyler
Blunt had looked in for a moment to say good-by before she went up to
her Lenox house.

"It's only an old farmhouse made over," Mrs. Blunt was saying; "hardly
smart enough to ask anybody to, but we hope to have you and Jack there
some time."

"That would be very nice. I hear Lenox is more beautiful than ever."

"Yes, it is, and about as difficult to get into as the kingdom of
heaven. It's being spoiled for moderate people. The Hendersons and the
Van Dams and that sort are in a race to see who shall build houses with
the biggest rooms, and give the most expensive entertainments. It's all
show. The old flavor has gone."

"But they cannot spoil the scenery.".

"My child, they are the scenery. You can't see anything else. It doesn't
bother me, but some of my old neighbors are just ruining themselves
trying to keep the pace. I do think the Americans are the biggest fools
on earth."

"Father Damon says the trouble is we haven't any middle class for a
balance."

"Yes, that's the English of it. But it's a pity that fashion has got
hold of the country, and is turning our summers into a worry and a
burden. I thought years ago when we went to Lenox that it was a
good thing the country was getting to be the fashion; but now it's
fashionable, and before we know it every desirable spot will be what
they call syndicated. Miss Tavish says she is coming to visit the
Hendersons there."

"I thought she went to Bar Harbor."

"But she is coming down for part of the season. These people don't stay
anywhere. Just long enough in one place to upset everything with their
extravagance. That's the reason I didn't ask you and Jack up this
summer."

"Thank you, we couldn't go, you know," said Edith, simply, and t