"Afraid! I'm not just Mary Cary, I'm Martha Cary also. Martha has never been afraid, and Mary has never been lonely in her life. And I love it so, my little Harmony House! Oh, Miss Gibbie, you have been so good, so precious good!" The strong young arms reached down, and on her warm breast she drew the anxious face of the older woman, kissed it swiftly, then pushed her back against the cushions. "If only you would let me tell how good you've been!" "If only you would behave yourself and get me some tea I would think more of you. There are many things I might forgive, but never the telling of my private affairs. Where is that list of City Fathers? Here, get me another chair. One feels like a kitty puss on a feather-bed in a thing of this kind. I prefer to sit like a human being." With an effort she extricated herself from the depths of the big chintz-covered chair and took a tall straight one near the table on which Hedwig was placing iced tea and sandwiches, and as she reached for the tea with her right hand, she held out her left for the paper Mary Cary was bringing to her. She glanced down its length, and for some moments drank her tea in silence save for an occasional grunt which was half sniff, half snort; then as she put down her glass and took up a sandwich she waved the paper in good-natured derision. "And that's what governs us--that! "Oh, august body of assembled men, The gods in thee have come to earth again!" She bit into the sandwich and again skimmed the paper. "These are the individuals who make our local laws and do with our taxes what they will. Listen: "'1. Josiah Chinn, Undertaker.' Deals with the dead. An eye single to the grave. "'2. Franklin Semph, Machine Agent.' Travels. Sleeps home two nights in the week. Drinks. "'3. Richard Moon, President Woolen Mills.' In council as matter of conscience. Only attends when Mary Cary makes him. "'4. Jefferson Mowry. Chewer and spitter.' Livery business. Reads less than he writes--never writes. "'5. Jacob Walstein, born Pawnbroker, now Banker.' Rich and rising. "'6. Williamson Brent, General Merchandise.' Votes as he's told by the last person who tells. Putty man. "'7. Blacker Ash, Secretary and Treasurer of Yorkburg Shoe Factory.' Sensible and good worker. Bachelor. Does as Miss Cary tells him. "'8. John Armitage. Soap-box politician.' Clerk in Mr. Blick's grocery store. Salary eight dollars per week. When it's ten he will marry; told me so. "'9. Robertson Grey, Lawyer.' Well born and lazy. "'10. Patrick Milligan.' Whiskey business and good talker. Slippery." She crumpled the paper and threw it at the girl standing in front of her. "There," she said, "there's the list of your Yorkburg Fathers. I hope Hedwig will fumigate you when you get home to-night." "She will if necessary." The crumpled paper was smoothed and folded carefully. "But I don't believe it will be. I've taken tea with most of their families."