the　park；　itself　a　monument　to　bad　taste　in　landscape。　　The　neighbourhood
  was　highly　respectable；　and　inhabited　by　families　of　German　extraction。
  There　were　two　flaxen…haired　daughters　who　had　just　graduated　from　an
  expensive　boarding…school　in　New　York；　where　they　had　received　the　polish
  needful　for　future　careers。　　But　the　careers　were　not　forthcoming。
  I　was　thrown　constantly　with　Adolf　Scherer；　I　had　earned　his　gratitude；　I
  had　become　necessary　to　him。　　But　after　the　great　coup　whereby　he　had
  fulfilled　Mr。　Watling's　prophecy　and　become　the　chief　factor　in　our
  business　world　he　began　to　show　signs　of　discontent；　of　an　irritability
  that　seemed　foreign　to　his　character；　and　that　puzzled　me。　　One　day；
  however；　I　stumbled　upon　the　cause　of　this　fermentation；　to　wonder　that　I
  had　not　discovered　it　before。　　In　many　ways　Adolf　Scherer　was　a　child。
  We　were　sitting　in　the　Boyne　Club。
  〃Moneyyes！〃　he　exclaimed；　apropos　of　some　demand　made　upon　him　by　a
  charitable　society。　　〃They　come　to　me　for　my　moneythere　is　always
  Scherer；　they　say。　　He　will　make　up　the　deficit　in　the　hospitals。　　But
  what　is　it　they　do　for　me？　　Nothing。　　Do　they　invite　me　to　their　houses；
  to　their　parties？〃
  This　was　what　he　wanted；　then；social　recognition。　　I　said　nothing；　but
  I　saw　my　opportunity：　I　had　the　clew；　now；　to　a　certain　attitude　he　had
  adopted　of　late　toward　me；　an　attitude　of　reproach；　as　though；　in　return
  for　his　many　favours　to　me；　there　were　something　I　had　left　undone。　　And
  when　I　went　home　I　asked　Maude　to　call　on　Mrs。　Scherer。
  〃On　Mrs。　Scherer！〃　　she　repeated。
  〃Yes；　I　want　you　to　invite　them　to　dinner。〃　　The　proposal　seemed　to　take
  away　her　breath。　　〃I　owe　her　husband　a　great　deal；　and　I　think　he　feels
  hurt　that　the　wives　of　the　men　he　knows　down　town　haven't　taken　up　his
  family。〃　　I　felt　that　it　would　not　be　wise；　with　Maude；　to　announce　my
  rather　amazing　discovery　of　the　iron…master's　social　ambitions。
  〃But；　Hugh；　they　must　be　very　happy；　they　have　their　friends。　　And　after
  all　this　time　wouldn't　it　seem　like　an　intrusion？〃
  〃I　don't　think　so；〃　I　said；　〃I'm　sure　it　would　please　him；　and　them。　　You
  know　how　kind　he's　been　to　us；　how　he　sent　us　East　in　his　private　car
  last　year。〃
  〃Of　course　I'll　go　if　you　wish　it；　if　you're　sure　they　feel　that　way。〃
  She　did　make　the　call；　that　very　week；　and　somewhat　to　my　surprise
  reported　that　she　liked　Mrs。　Scherer　and　the　daughters：　Maude's　likes　and
  dislikes；　needless　to　say；　were　not　governed　by　matters　of　policy。
  〃　You　were　right；　Hugh；〃　she　informed　me；　almost　with　enthusiasm；
  〃they　did　seem　lonely。　　And　they　were　so　glad　to　see　me；　it　was　rather
  pathetic。　　Mr。　Scherer；　it　seems；　had　talked　to　them　a　great　deal　about
  you。　　They　wanted　to　know　why　I　hadn't　come　before。　　That　was　rather
  embarrassing。　　Fortunately　they　didn't　give　me　time　to　talk；　I　never
  heard　people　talk　as　they　do。　　They　all　kissed　me　when　I　went　away；　and
  came　down　the　steps　with　me。　　And　Mrs。　Scherer　went　into　the　conservatory
  and　picked　a　huge　bouquet。　　There　it　is；〃　she　said；　laughingly；　pointing
  to　several　vases。　　〃I　separated　the　colours　as　well　as　I　could　when　I　got
  home。　　We　had　coffee；　and　the　most　delicious　German　cakes　in　the　Turkish
  room；　or　the　Moorish　room；　whichever　it　is。　　I'm　sure　I　shan't　be　able
  to　eat　anything　more　for　days。　　When　do　you　wish　to　have　them　for　dinner？〃
  〃Well；〃　I　said；　〃we　ought　to　have　time　to　get　the　right　people　to　meet
  them。　　We'll　ask　Nancy　and　Ham。〃
  Maude　opened　her　eyes。
  〃Nancy！　　Do　you　think　Nancy　would　like　them？〃
  〃I'm　going　to　give　her　a　chance；　anyway；〃　I　replied。。。。
  It　was；　in　some　ways；　a　memorable　dinner。　　I　don't　know　what　I　expected
  in　Mrs。　Schererfrom　Maude's　description　a　benevolent　and　somewhat
  stupid；　blue…eyed　German　woman；　of　peasant　extraction。　　There　could　be　no
  doubt　about　the　peasant　extraction；　but　when　she　hobbled　into　our　little
  parlour　with　the　aid　of　a　stout；　gold…headed　cane　she　dominated　it。　　Her
  very　lameness　added　to　a　distinction　that　evinced　itself　in　a　dozen　ways。
  Her　nose　was　hooked；　her　colour　high；despite　the　years　in　Steelville；
  her　peculiar　costume　heightened　the　effect　of　her　personality；　her　fire…
  lit　black　eyes　bespoke　a　spirit　accustomed　to　rule；　and　instead　of　being
  an　aspirant　for　social　honours；　she　seemed　to　confer　them。　　Conversation
  ceased　at　her　entrance。
  〃I'm　sorry　we　are　late；　my　dear；〃　she　said；　as　she　greeted　Maude
  affectionately；　〃but　we　have　far　to　come。　　And　this　is　your　husband！〃
  she　exclaimed；　as　I　was　introduced。　　She　scrutinized　me。　　〃I　have　heard
  something　of　you；　Mr。　Paret。　　You　are　smart。　　Shall　I　tell　you　the
  smartest　thing　you　ever　did？〃　　She　patted　Maude's　shoulder。　　〃When　you
  married　your　wifethat　was　it。　　I　have　fallen　in　love　with　her。　　If　you
  do　not　know　it；　I　tell　you。〃
  Next；　Nancy　was　introduced。
  〃So　you　are　Mrs。　Hambleton　Durrett？〃
  Nancy　acknowledged　her　identity　with　a　smile；　but　the　next　remark　was　a
  bombshell。
  〃The　leader　of　society。〃
  〃Alas！〃　exclaimed　Nancy；　〃I　have　been　accused　of　many　terrible　things。〃
  Their　glances　met。　　Nancy's　was　amused；　baffling；　like　a　spark　in　amber。
  Each；　in　its　way；　was　redoubtable。　　A　greater　contrast　between　two　women
  could　scarcely　have　been　imagined。　　It　was　well　said　（and　not　snobbishly）
  that　generations　had　been　required　to　make　Nancy's　figure：　she　wore　a
  dress　of　blue　sheen；　the　light　playing　on　its　ripples；　and　as　she　stood；
  apparently　wholly　at　ease；　looking　down　at　the　wife　of　Adolf　Scherer；　she
  reminded　me　of　an　expert　swordsman　who；　with　remarkable　skill；　was
  keeping　a　too　pressing　and　determined　aspirant　at　arm's　length。　　I　was
  keenly　aware　that　Maude　did　not　possess　this　gift；　and　I　realized　for　the
  first　time　something　of　the　similarity　between　Nancy's　career　and　my　own。
  She；　too；　in　her　feminine　sphere；　exercised；　and　subtly；　a　power　in　which
  human　passions　were　deeply　involved。
  If　Nancy　Durrett　symbolized　aristocracy；　established　order　and　prestige；
  what　did　Mrs。　Scherer　represent？　　Not　democracy；　mob　rulecertainly。
  The　stocky　German　peasant　woman　with　her　tightly　drawn　hair　and　heavy
  jewels　seemed　grotesquely　to　embody　something　that　ultimately　would　have
  its　way；　a　lusty　and　terrible　force　in　the　interests　of　which　my　own
  services　were　enlisted；　to　which　the　old　American　element　in　business　and
  industry；　the　male　counterpart　of　Nancy　Willett；　had　already　succumbed。
  And　now　it　was　about　to　storm　the　feminine　fastnesses！　　I　beheld　a　woman
  who　had　come　to　this　country　with　a　shawl　aver　her　head　transformed　into
  a　new　species　of　duchess；　sure　of　herself；　scorning　the　delicate
  euphemisms　in　which　Fancy's　kind　were　wont　to　refer　to　asocial　realm；
  that　was　no　less　real　because　its　boundaries　had　not　definitely　been
  defined。　　She　held　her　stick　firmly；　and　gave　Nancy　an　indomitable　look。
  〃I　want　you　to　meet　my　daughters。　　Gretchen；　Anna；　come　here　and　be
  introduced　to　Mrs。　Durrett。〃
  It　was　not　without　curiosity　I　watched　these　of　the　second　generation　as
  they　made　their　bows；　noted　the　differentiation　in　the　type　for　which　an
  American　environment　and　a　〃finishing　school〃　had　been　responsible。
  Gretchen　and　Anna　had　learnedin　crises；　such　as　the　presentto
  restrain　the　superabundant　vitality　they　had　inherited。　　If　their
  cheekbones　were　a　little　too　high；　their　Delft　blue　eyes　a　little　too
  small；　their　colour　was　of　the　proverbial　rose…leaves　and　cream。　　Gene
  Hollister's　difficulty　was　to　know　which　to　marry。　　They　were　nice
  girls；of　that　there　could　be　no　doubt；　there　was　no　false　modesty　in
  their　attitude　toward　〃society〃；　nor　did　they　pretendas　so　many　silly
  people　did；　that　they　were　not　attempting　to　get　anywhere　in　particular；
  that　it　was　less　desirable　to　be　in　the　centre　than　on　the　dubious　outer
  walks。　　They；　too；　were　so　glad　to　meet　Mrs。　Durrett。
  Nancy's　eyes　twinkled　as　they　passed　on。
  〃You　see　what　I　have　let　you　in　for？〃　I　said。
  〃My　dear　Hugh；〃　she　replied；　〃sooner　or　later　we　should　have　had　to　face
  them　anyhow。　　I　have　recognized　that　for　some　time。　　With　their　money；
  and　Mr。　Scherer's　prestige；　and　the　will　of　that　lady　with　the　stick；　in
  a　few　years　we　should　have　had　nothing　to　say。　　Why；　she's　a　female
  Napoleon。　　Hilda's　the　man　of　the　family。〃
  After　that；　Nancy　invariably　referred　to　Mrs。　Scherer　as　Hilda。
  If　Mrs。　Scherer　was　a　surprise　to　us；　her　husband　was　a　still　greater
  one；　and　I　had　difficulty　in　recognizing　the　Adolf　Scherer　who　came　to
  our　dinner　party　as　the　personage　of　the　business　world　before　whom
  lesser　men　were　wont　to　cringe。　　He　seemed　rather　mysteriously　to　have
  shed　that　personality；　become　an　awkward；　ingratiating；　rather　too
  exuberant；　ordinary　man　with　a　marked　German　accent。　　From　time　to　time　I
  found　myself　speculating　uneasily　on　this　phenomenon　as　I　glanced　down
  the　table　at　his　great　torso；　white　waist…coated　for　the　occasion。　　He
  was　plainly　〃making　up〃　to　Nancy；　and　to　Mrs。　Ogilvy；　who　sat　opposite
  him。　　On　the　whole；　the　atmosphere　of　our　entertainment　was　rather
  electric。　　〃Hilda〃　was　chiefly　responsible　for　this；　her　frankness　was　of
  the　breath…taking　kind。　　Far　from　attempting　to　hide　or　ignore　the
  struggle　by　which　she　and　her　husband　had　attained　their