"Well, I'm glad you are here in time. I was so afraid you wouldn't be, that I got Pa to telegraph and have your car put on the president's special train that was coming through and had the right-of-way. I told him that I didn't see that because your father had resigned from the directory was any reason why you shouldn't be brought on the train." "Were we indebted to you for that attention?" Eleanor Leigh's voice had a tone of half incredulity. "Yep--I am the power behind the throne just at present. Pa and old Mr. Canter have buried the hatchet and are as thick as thieves since their new deal, and Jim Canter told me his car was coming through on a special. Oh! you ought to hear him the way he says, _My car_, and throws his chest out! So I said I wanted him to find out where you were on the road--on what train, I mean--and pick you up, and he said he would." "Oh! I see," said Miss Leigh, looking somewhat annoyed. "He did, didn't he?" "Yes." "Well, you know Jim Canter is a very promising young man, much more so than he is a fulfiller. What are you so serious about? You look as----" "Nothing--only I don't wish to be beholden to--I was just wondering what right we have to stop trains full of people who have paid for their tickets and----" "What!" exclaimed the other girl in astonishment, "what right? Why, our fathers are directors, aren't they--at least, my father is--and own a block of the stock that controls----?" "Yes; but all these people--who pay--and who had no breakfast?" "Oh! don't you worry about them--they'll get along somehow--and if they pay they'll look out for themselves without your doing it. My way is to make all I can out of them and enjoy it while I can--that's what Pa says." "Yes," said Miss Leigh acquiescingly, "but I'm not sure that it's right." "You've been reading that man's articles," declared Miss McSheen. "I know--I have, too--everybody has--all the girls. I am a socialist--aren't they terribly striking! He's so good-looking. Pa says he's a Jew and an anarchist, and ought to be in jail." "Are you speaking of Mr. Wolffert?" "Yes, of course. Now you need not make out you don't know him; because they say----" "Yes, I know him very well," said Miss Leigh, so stiffly that her guest paused and changed her tone. "Well, anyhow, my dear, you are just in time. We are going to have the biggest thing we've ever had in this town. I've almost died laughing over it already." "What is it?" "Wait. I'm going to tell you all about it. You know it was all my idea. Harriet Minturn claims the whole credit for it now that I've made it go--says she first suggested it, and I assure you, my dear, she never opened her head about it till I had all the girls wild about it, and had arranged for the costumes and had gotten the Count to promise----" "What is it?" interrupted her hostess again, laughing.