that she never even imagined such
comments, though she passed these rows of critical eyes a hundred times
a day, sat at table with people who were keenly observant of her every
act and word, and spent some reluctant hours in the society of those who
strove to cultivate her for their own blase enjoyment. She only knew
that among the company she met a number of interesting men and women,
with whom she and her husband were thoroughly congenial, and that it did
not matter in the least about the rest. If those whom she liked so much,
and with whom she could talk with the greatest zest, turned out to be
the men and women of scientific or literary achievement, this seemed
only natural to the college-bred girl, and she cared not at all that she
did not get on so easily with those whose distinction lay in purely
social or financial lines.

During the winter just past her experience had been much the same, in a
larger way. Her husband's acquaintance was naturally a large one, but
the circle of his real friends was bound almost wholly by these same
congenialities of mind and tastes. Georgiana had met and been
entertained by many people whose names stood high on the list of the
distinguished, though their personal fortunes were small, and their
social activities were ignored in the society columns of the Sunday
press. A college president, several famous surgeons, not a few noted
authors of scientific books, as well as certain social workers, and two
or three clergymen--these, with their wives and families, were the sort
of people who gave to Georgiana Craig a hearty and sincere welcome,
recognizing her at once as one who belonged to them. It was small wonder
that the young wife, trained in a school of life in which nothing
counted except worth and ability, found no lack, nor thought of sighing
for the privilege her husband could easily have given her, had he cared
for it himself, of mingling with a quite different class, that of the
rich and gay who cared for little except that which could give them the
most powerfully emotional reactions in the way of diversion,
acquisition, or notoriety.

So they continued to work and walk their joyously contented way across
the wide Atlantic during the six days between port and port. Georgiana
enjoyed every hour, from that early morning one in which she first came
on deck, running up with her husband to breathe deeply of the
stimulating sea breeze before breakfasting, to the latest one, when,