None had prospered exceedingly, but all had done well. They were
still in their forties, but as gray as their fathers had been at sixty;
indeed, looked older than Trennahan, who had disdained to add to his own
and his wife's fortunes, and lived merely to enjoy life; and they would
far rather have been in bed. But three of them were indulgent family
men. Eugene Fort had clung to the single state, but the others were
contributing one or more daughters to the evening's entertainment; and
they had all drifted naturally together to discuss the new beauties
before retreating to the haven at the top of the house where there was a
billiard-table and much good whiskey and tobacco. They were disputing
over the respective claims of Inez Trennahan, who was a replica of the
California _Favoritas_ of a century ago, and Catalina Over with the
Indian blood on her high cheek-bones, and her mouth like an Indian's
bow, when Isabel descended the stairs. They promptly gave her the palm,
although they did not turn pale, nor lose their breath.

"The grand style," said Trennahan. "I wonder will the home-bred youth
appreciate it? In your day she would have had a better chance, but most
of these worthy young men, when they have been to college at all, have
patronized Stanford or Berkeley; in other words, never been out of the
State, and, no doubt, prefer the more vivid, frivolous, and essentially
modern product."

"If it lay with us," said Alan Rush, sadly. "But it is as you say. She
will frighten most of the young fellows. By Jove, she looks as if she
had danced at Washington's first ball. But that's it. Nothing free and
easy, there. It's no longer the fashion to be too aristocratic."

But Isabel, if she did not create a _furore_ among the young men, who
would have thought such a performance beneath their dignity, was, at
least, generally admitted to be "Pretty well as stunning a girl as you
might see in a long day's journey," "a regular ripper," "the handsomest
of the bunch," and as far as "mere looks went" the "pick of the lot."
The girls viewed her with no great favor, but the majority of the women,
especially those in the galleries, sustained the verdict of the men; and
the Leader, in the course of the evening, descended and introduced
herself, claimed relationship, and graciously intimated that if Isabel
cared to join the _cotillon_ clubs and the skating-rink--_The_
skating-rink--an exclusive yet hospitable wing would be lifted. A
younge