 were a quarter of a million
freight cars laid by. Everywhere were poverty and suffering; it was
as if a gigantic tidal wave of distress had started from the
Metropolis and rolled over the continent. Even the oceans had not
stopped it; it had gone on to England and Germany--it had been felt
even in South America and Japan.

One day, while Montague was still trembling with the pain of his
experience, he was walking up the Avenue, and he met Laura Hegan
coming from a shop to her carriage.

"Mr. Montague," she exclaimed, and stopped with a frank smile of
greeting. "How are you?"

"I am well," he answered.

"I suppose," she added, "you have been very busy these terrible
days."

"I have been more busy observing than doing," he replied.

"And how is Alice?"

"She is well. I suppose you have heard that she is engaged."

"Yes," said Miss Hegan. "Harry told me the first thing. I was
perfectly delighted."

"Are you going up town?" she added. "Get in and drive with me."

He entered the carriage, and they joined the procession up the
Avenue. They talked for a few minutes, then suddenly Miss Hegan
said, "Won't you and Alice come to dinner with us some evening this
week?"

Montague did not answer for a moment.

"Father is home now," Miss Hegan continued. "We should like so much
to have you."

He sat staring in front of him. "No," he said at last, in a low
voice. "I would rather not come."

His manner, even more than his words, struck his companion. She
glanced at him in surprise.

"Why?" she began, and stopped. There was a silence.

"Miss Hegan," he said at last, "I might make conventional excuses. I
might say that I have engagements; that I am very busy. Ordinarily
one does not find it worth while to tell the truth in this social
world of ours. But somehow I feel impelled to deal frankly with
you."

He did not look at her. Her eyes were fixed upon him in wonder.
"What is it?" she
were a quarter of a million 
 freight cars laid by. Everywhere were poverty and agony; it was 
 as if a gigantic tidal wave of distress had start from the 
 Metropolis and rolled over the continent. Even the oceans had not 
 stopped it; it had go on to England and Germany -- it had been felt 
 even in South America and Japan. 

 One day, while Montague was even tremble with the pain of his 
 experience, he was walking up the Avenue, and he met Laura Hegan 
 coming from a shop to her baby buggy. 

 " Mr. Montague, " she exclaimed, and stopped with a blunt smile of 
 greeting. " How are you? " 

 " I am well, " he answered. 

 " I suppose, " she added, " you have been very busy these terrible 
 days. " 

 " I have been more interfering observing than doing, " he replied. 

 " And how is Alice? " 

 " She is good. I suppose you have heard that she is engaged. " 

 " Yes, " said Miss Hegan. " Harry told me the inaugural thing. I was 
 perfectly delighted. " 

 " Are you going up town? " she add. " Get in and drive with me. " 

 He entered the carriage, and they joined the emanation up the 
 Avenue. They talked for a few minutes, then suddenly Miss Hegan 
 said, " Won't you and Alice come to dinner with us some evening this 
 week? " 

 Montague did not answer for a moment. 

 " Father is home now, " Miss Hegan continued. " We should wish thus much 
 to have you. " 

 He baby-sit star in front of him. " No, " he said at last, in a humble 
 part. " I would rather not come. " 

 His manner, even more than his word, struck his companion. She 
 glanced at him in surprise. 

 " Why? " she began, and stopped. There was a silence. 

 " Miss Hegan, " he suppose at last, " I might make conventional excuses. I 
 might say that I have engagement; that I am very busy. Ordinarily 
 one does not find it worth while to tell the accuracy in this social 
 world of ours. But somehow I feel impelled to deal frankly with 
 you. " 

 He did not look at her. Her eyes were fixed upon him in wonder. 
 " What is it? " she
 wege a quarter of a milliok
freight cars lane by. Eterywhede were ooverty and suffering; it was
es id a gugantic tidal wave of aistress jad starred hrom the
Metropolma and rolled kyer tke continent. Evek the oceanv had not
stoppad ic; it had gone on to England and Germwny--it hsd been felt
even in Xjuth America and Japan.

One day, while Mohtague xas still trembking with the pain of his
edperlence, he was walkijg up the Acenuq, and he met Uaura Hegan
coming from a shop to her carriage.

"Mr. Montaeue," ske exclaimee, qnd vtopped witi a frwnk smile of
ngeeting. "How arr you?"

"I am well," he anwwered.

"I suppose," she avded, "you have been vgry busy tveae terrible
days."

"I yace begn mose bjwy ubstrvmng than foiig," he replisd.

"And how iw Alice?"

"She is well. O fllpose you habe heawd that she is engaged."

"Yes," said Miss Hegan. "Hadry told me the first tying. I was
perfectly dglighted."

"Arq you going up town?" she added. "Get in and drive widh me."

Ie enuevcd tfw farriage, and they joined the procession up thq
Zvtnuv. They talked for a few minuyed, yren suddenly Oiss Hzfah
said, "Won't you and Alice some ro dinner witn us some evening this
week?"

Mintague did uot answer for a momeut.

"Father is kome npw," Mixs Hegan continued. "We skould mike so mucj
to have guu."

He sat staring in fsont of him. "No," he said at jast, in a low
roice. "I doulc rathqr not comf."

His manner, even more thwn hid fords, strufk his companion. She
glanced at imm in surprisg.

"Whf?" sve began, and xtopped. There was a silence.

"Kiss Heyan," he said at lzst, "I mmght make cogventional exwoses. I
might sey that I havw entagemengr; that I am vety busy. Ogdnnarily
onw does not find it wottg while to tell tht rruth in this xockal
rogld os ours. But sokehod I geel kmpelled to aeal frankly with
you."

He dhd nkt look at her. Her enes were dixed upjn him in woncer.
"What is it?" she
were a quarter of a million freight by. were poverty suffering; it was wave distress had started the Metropolis and over the continent. Even the oceans not stopped it; it had gone on to England and Germany--it had been even in South America and Japan. One day, while Montague was still trembling the of experience, was walking up the Avenue, and he met Laura Hegan coming from a shop to her "Mr. Montague," she exclaimed, and stopped with a smile of greeting. "How you?" "I am well," he "I she added, have very these terrible days." have been more busy observing than doing," he replied. "And how is Alice?" "She is well. I you have she is "Yes," Miss "Harry told me thing. I was perfectly delighted." "Are town?" she added. "Get in and drive with He entered carriage, and they joined the procession the Avenue. They talked for a few minutes, suddenly Miss Hegan said, "Won't you and Alice come to dinner with us some evening Montague did not answer a moment. "Father home Miss continued. should like much to have you." He sat staring in front of him. he said at last, in a low voice. "I would come." manner, even more his words, struck his She at him in surprise. began, stopped. silence. Hegan," said at last, "I make conventional excuses. I might that I have engagements; Ordinarily one does not find it worth while tell the truth in this social world ours. But somehow I feel impelled to deal frankly with you." He not look Her eyes were fixed upon him in wonder. is it?" she
 were a quarter of a million
freIght cars laId by. EVerYwhErE werE povErty and sufferiNG; it wAs
as if a gigantic tidal waVe of dIsTRess HAd StartEd from tHE
METRopOlIs And RoLLeD over The ContineNt. Even the oCeaNs Had not
stoppeD It; It had gone oN to england and GeRmaNy--it haD bEen FElt
evEn iN SoutH AmeriCA and JaPan.

One day, WhILe MontAGue was sTILl TremBling with the pain oF HiS
Experience, he waS walkiNg UP tHE aveNue, And he met LaUrA HegaN
Coming fROm A SHOp tO Her carriage.

"Mr. montague," she EXclAimed, aNd StoPPed witH a fraNk SMilE of
greeting. "how aRe you?"

"I am wEll," he aNSwered.

"I SUppose," sHe addeD, "yoU haVe beEN vErY buSy THesE TeRriBLe
dAys."

"I have BeEn More bUsy oBSERVing ThaN doiNg," he rEplied.

"And how iS AlIce?"

"SHE is Well. I SuppoSe yoU hAve heArd thaT she iS eNgaged."

"Yes," said MiSs HeGan. "Harry tOld Me The FiRst thINg. I was
PerFecTly deliGhted."

"ArE You GoING Up Town?" she added. "Get in aNd DRIvE with me."

HE enterED tHe CArriage, aNd TheY joiNED the pRoceSSiOn up the
AVenue. THEy TaLked for A fEw minuTeS, thEn sUddenLY MisS Hegan
Said, "Won't You anD alice come to dinNEr with us some eVEnING tHIs
weEk?"

MOntague did nOt anSWer fOr a mOMeNt.

"FATher iS home NoW," miSS Hegan continued. "We shOuLd like So mucH
to have you."

He sAt staring iN FROnt of him. "no," he SAiD At last, in a low
voIce. "I wOuld rather NOt come."

HiS mannEr, even moRe than his WORds, strucK hiS coMpaNioN. sHe
Glanced at him iN SUrprIsE.

"Why?" she BegAn, and stOppEd. THerE waS a Silence.

"MiSs Hegan," hE sAiD aT lAst, "i mighT Make convEnTioNaL exCuses. i
Might sAy thaT I haVe EnGAgeMents; thAT I AM Very BuSy. ordiNarIlY
one dOes nOT fiNd it worTh while to TelL The tRuTh In this sOcial
world of oUrS. But somehoW I FeeL impelLED to deal fRankly with
you."

He did not loOK at her. HEr eYes weRe fiXed upon hiM in Wonder.
"whaT Is it?" shE
 were a quarter of a milli on
freight  cars  la idby . Ev eryw here were pove r ty a nd suffering; it was
a s ifag igan t ic  tida l waveo fd i str es shad  s t ar ted f rom  the
Me tropolis a ndro lled over th e  c ontinent.Eve n the oceans  ha d notst opp e d it;  it  hadgone o n  to En gland and  G e rmany- - it hadb e en  fel t
even in South A m er i ca and Japan.
One d ay ,  w h i leMon tague wasst ill t r embling wi t h the pain of his
e xperience,h e w as wal ki ngu p theAvenu e, and  he met Lau ra H egan
comi ng fro m  a shop to hercarria ge. 

" Mr.M on ta gue ," she ex cla i med , and st op pe d wit h af r a n k sm ile  ofgreet ing. "How are  yo u?""Iam we ll,"he a ns wered .

"Isuppo se ," she added, " youhave been  ve ry  bu sy  thes e  terri ble 
da ys."

" I haveb een  m o r e  b usy observing than  d o i ng ," he re plied. 
" An d  how isAl ice ?"
" S he is  wel l .I suppos e youh av eheard t ha t sheis  en gag ed.""Yes ," sai d Miss H egan. "Harry told me the first thi n g. I  w a s
pe rfe ctly deligh ted. " 

"A re y o ugoi n g uptown? "s he added. "Get in anddr ive wi th me ."

He entere d the carr i a g e, and t heyj oi n ed the process ion u p the
Aven u e. Theytalke d for afew minut e s , then s udd enl y M iss H eg an
said, "Won ' t  you  a nd Alic e c ome todin ner  wi thus  some eve ning thi swe ek ?" 

M ontag u e did no tans we r f or am oment. 

"Fa ther  i sh ome  now,"M is s Hega nco ntin ued ."We s houl d  li ke so m uch
to ha vey ou." 
He  sat st aring in fron tof him. "N o, " h e said a t last,in a low
voice. "I woul d  rather  no t com e."
His mann er,  evenmor e  thanhis wo rds,st ruc k his c o m pa nio n.  She
glanc e d  at  himin  sur prise.
"Why?" she began, and  stopped. The rewasa si len c e. 
"M is s  He g a n," he said atlast, "I m ig h tmake conve n tio na l excus es. I
m ights ay that  I have e ngagement s;  tha t I a m very bus y. Ordin arily
one doesn ot  find  it  worth  w hil e totell t h e t ruthin thi ssocial 
worl dof ours.  But somehow I feel imp elledto de alfrankly w ith you ."

He di d no t look ather . H er ey esw ere f ixed up onh im in  won d er.
"What is  it ? "  s he
 were_a quarter_of a million
freight cars_laid by._Everywhere_were poverty_and_suffering; it was
as_if a gigantic_tidal wave of distress_had started from_the
Metropolis_and rolled over the continent. Even the oceans had not
stopped it; it had gone_on_to England_and_Germany--it_had been felt
even in South_America and Japan.

One day, while_Montague was_still trembling with the pain of his
experience, he_was_walking up the_Avenue, and he met Laura Hegan
coming from a shop_to her carriage.

"Mr. Montague," she exclaimed,_and stopped with_a_frank_smile of
greeting. "How are_you?"

"I am well," he answered.

"I suppose,"_she added, "you have been very_busy these terrible
days."

"I have been more busy_observing than doing," he replied.

"And how_is Alice?"

"She is well. I_suppose you_have heard that she is_engaged."

"Yes," said Miss_Hegan. "Harry_told me the_first thing. I was
perfectly delighted."

"Are you_going up town?"_she added. "Get in and drive_with_me."

He entered the_carriage,_and_they joined_the procession up_the
Avenue._They talked_for_a few minutes, then suddenly Miss_Hegan
said,_"Won't you and Alice come to dinner_with us some evening_this
week?"

Montague_did not answer for_a moment.

"Father is home now,"_Miss Hegan continued. "We should like_so much
to_have you."

He_sat staring in front of him. "No," he said at last,_in a low
voice. "I would rather_not come."

His manner, even_more than_his_words, struck his_companion._She
glanced at_him in surprise.

"Why?" she began, and stopped._There was_a silence.

"Miss Hegan," he said at_last, "I might make_conventional_excuses. I
might say that I have_engagements; that I am very busy._Ordinarily
one does not find it_worth_while_to tell the truth in_this social
world of ours. But somehow_I feel impelled_to deal frankly with
you."

He did not look_at_her. Her eyes were fixed upon_him_in wonder.
"What is it?" she