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quite cold about the affair himself now. "Fulkerson thought we could get a nice flat in New York for about what the interest and taxes came to here, and provisions are cheaper. But I should rather not experiment at my time of life. If I could have been caught younger, I might have been inured to New York, but I dont believe I could stand it now." "How I hate to have you talk that way, Basil! You are young enough to try anything--anywhere; but you know I dont like New York. I dont approve of it. Its so big, and so hideous! Of course I shouldnt mind that; but Ive always lived in Boston, and the children were born and have all their friendships and associations here." She added, with the helplessness that discredited her good sense and did her injustice, "I have just got them both into the Friday afternoon class at Papantis, and you know how difficult that is." March could not fail to take advantage of an occasion like this. "Well, that alone ought to settle it. Under the circumstances, it would be flying in the face of Providence to leave Boston. The mere fact of a brilliant opening like that offered me on The Microbe, and the halcyon future which Fulkerson promises if well come to New York, is as dust in the balance against the advantages of the Friday afternoon class." "Basil," she appealed, solemnly, "have I ever interfered with your career?" "I never had any for you to interfere with, my dear." "Basil! Havent I always had faith in you? And dont you suppose that if I thought it would really be for your advancement I would go to New York or anywhere with you?" "No, my dear, I dont," he teased. "If it would be for my salvation, yes, perhaps; but not short of that; and I should have to prove by a cloud of witnesses that it would. I dont blame you. I wasnt born in Boston, but I understand how you feel. And really, my dear," he added, without irony, "I never seriously thought of asking you to go to New York. I was dazzled by Fulkersons offer, Ill own that; but his choice of me as editor sapped my confidence in him." "I dont like to hear you say that, Basil," she entreated. "Well, of course there were mitigating circumstances. I could see that Fulkerson meant to keep the whip-hand himself, and that was reassuring. And, besides, if the Reciprocity Life should happen not to want my services any longer, it wouldnt be quite like giving up a certainty; though, as a matter of business, I let Fulkerson get that impression; I felt rather sneaking to do it. But if the worst comes to the worst, I can look about for something to do in Boston; and, anyhow, people dont starve on two thousand a year, though its convenient to have five. The fact is, Im too old to change so radically. If you dont like my saying that, then you are, Isabel, and so are the children. Ive no right to take them from the home weve made, and to change the whole course of their lives, unless I can assure them of something, and I cant assure them of anything. Boston is big enough for us, and its certainly prettier than New York. I always feel a little proud of hailing from Boston; my pleasure in the place mounts the farther I get away from it. But I do appreciate it, my dear; Ive no more desire to leave it than you have. You may be sure that if you dont want to take the children out of the Friday afternoon class, I dont want to leave my library here, and all the ways Ive got set in. Well keep on. Very likely the company wont supplant me, and if it does, and Watkins gets the place, hell give me a subordinate position of some sort. Cheer up, Isabel! I have put Satan and his angel, Fulkerson, behind me, and its all right. Lets go in to the children." He came round the table to Isabel, where she sat in a growing distraction, and lifted her by the waist from her chair. She sighed deeply. "Shall we tell the children about it?" "No. Whats the use, now?" "There wouldnt be any," she assented. When they entered the family room, where the boy and girl sat on either side of the lamp working out the lessons for Monday which they had

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