Miss Cahill was very much afraid that society had spoiled Miss Minot, and that she would be less interested in art for art’s sake, and in university extensions and college settlements and organized charitable work. She was therefore much delighted and very enthusiastic to find that her friend was not at all changed in the ten months of absence, but that in the midst of her travels and social pleasures she had contrived to devote a great deal of time to the things that had always interested her, and that she had studied the Guild Hall Loan Exhibit and the East End with equal enthusiasm, while in London, and was greatly interested in Nikola Tesla’s latest experiments and in college settlements. It was the college settlements that interested her most, however. “But I think,” she explained earnestly that evening to her friend and young Cahill, after the Judge and his sister had gone into the library--“I think that although there are more interesting and dreadful things to be contended with at the Chicago Settlement, and although Rivington Street is on a much larger scale, still I think I like the Boston College Settlement the most. Perhaps it’s because I know it better, or because it is not quite in the slummiest slums, or because I’m so interested in my protégée there--at any rate, I like it best.” Miss Cahill looked plaintively at her brother. “Just think, Dana, when Edith was at college she used to spend her Christmas vacations in Tyler Street. Don’t you think she’s very brave and good? I’m sure I’m only too glad to give my money, and I’m greatly interested in it, and awfully pleased when the others go; but I don’t think I could possibly stay there myself! And I actually believe she came near refusing my invitation to come here, because she thought she ought to go to the settlement!” Cahill laughed easily. “That is hard on us, Miss Minot. Think of having to compete in attractions with the college settlement, and only just managing to come out ahead!” He was not thinking very much of what he was saying--he was looking at the sombre, beautiful eyes, with the lids slightly lowered over them, and the sensitively cut lips and air of thorough breeding of the girl before him; and he was saying to himself that he had been singularly unfortunate to have always been away in Japan, or at the law school, or in Paris, when Miss Minot had visited his sister. A little touch of color crept into the clear pallor of the girl’s cheeks. “How unkind of you and Louise!” she exclaimed, smiling. “You must know there could be no question of what was _nicest_ to me. I’m very sorry that I like dances and the opera and luncheons and all that so much, but it is so, and the people at the college settlement are very good to let me come in now and then, and try to help a little and ease my conscience a little for all its self-indulgence and worldly pleasures. So you must not think better of me than you should!”