"Well, she's weak and tiresome now, but she's by no means common. She's broken by hard work, but she's naturally refined. No, the girl isn't so bad; it's the frightful girlhood she endured in that little hotel. I think it's wonderful that she could associate with the people she did--barbers and railway hands, and all that--and be what she is to-day. If she had married a man like young Bennett, for example, she would have gone far." "She can't go far with Haney chained to her wrist," said the blunt Mrs. Congdon. "But think what will happen when she is his widow!" "And his legatee!" "Precisely." "She'll cut a wide swath. She's going to be handsome." They had reached a danger-point, for Lee was on the verge of saying something about Ben's infatuation; but she didn't, and Alice knew why she didn't, for she asked, rather abruptly: "Won't you come over Thursday night? I'm going to take the Haneys to dinner at the hotel." She flushed under Lee's gaze. "It's really Bennie's party, and I'm going to make it as pretty as I can." "Alice, I don't understand you. Why do you do this?" "Because I must. She and the Captain are going East on a visit, and Ben wants to give them a 'jolly send-off,' as he calls it. Besides, I like the girl." Lee mused in silence for a few moments. "I guess you're right. Of course I'll come. Who else will?" "Several of Ben's new friends and the Cregos--" "Not the missus?" "Yes; she comes because she's consumed with curiosity. Oh, it really promises to be smart!" Congdon came in just in time to hear these words, "Who promises to be smart--Mrs. Haney?" The women laughed. "Another person going about with a mind full of Mrs. Haney." "Well, why not? I just passed her on the street in her new dog-cart, and she was ripping good to look at. Say, that girl is too swift for this town. You people better keep close to her if you want to know what's doing in gowns and cloaks. Did you ever see such development in your life? Say, girls, I always believed in clothes. But, my eyes! I didn't think cotton and wool and leather could make such a change. Who is putting her on?" "The cart is a new development," said Alice. "I hope it wasn't yellow?" "Well, it was." "The Captain was in it?" "Not on your life. The Captain was at home in the easy-chair by the fire." The women looked at each other. Then Lee said: "The beginning of the end. Poor old Captain." Congdon was loyalty itself. "Now don't you jump at conclusions. Yes, she pulled up, and I went out to see her. She gave me her hand in the old way, and said; 'Isn't this a joke. The Captain ordered it from Chicago. He saw a picture in one of my magazines of a girl driving one of these things, and here I am. You don't think they'll charge me a special license, do you?' Oh, she's all right. Don't you worry about her. Then she said: 'What I don't like about it is the Captain can't ride in it. I'm not going to keep it,' she said." "That was for effect," remarked Lee.