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I gave him Mr。 Grunewald's estimated majority。
〃What do you think？〃 he demanded； a shrewd； humorous look in his blue
eyes。
〃Well； I think we'll carry the state。 I haven't had Grunewald's
experience in estimating。〃
Ezra Hutchins smiled appreciatively。
〃What does Watling think？〃
〃He doesn't seem to be worrying much。〃
〃Ever been in Elkington before？〃
I said I hadn't。
〃Well； a drive will do you good。〃
It was about four o'clock on a mild October afternoon。 The little town；
of fifteen thousand inhabitants or so； had
a wonderful setting in the widening valley of the Scopanong； whose
swiftly running waters furnished the power for the mills。 We drove to
these through a gateway over which the words 〃No Admittance〃 were
conspicuously painted； past long brick buildings that bordered the
canals； and in the windows I caught sight of drab figures of men and
women bending over the machines。 Half of the buildings； as Mr。 Hutchins
pointed out； were closed；mute witnesses of tariff…tinkering madness。
Even more eloquent of democratic folly was that part of the town through
which we presently passed； streets lined with rows of dreary houses where
the workers lived。 Children were playing on the sidewalks； but theirs
seemed a listless play； listless； too； were the men and women who sat on
the steps；listless； and somewhat sullen； as they watched us passing。
Ezra Hutchins seemed to read my thought。
〃Since the unions got in here I've had nothing but trouble；〃 he said。
〃I've tried to do my duty by my people； God knows。 But they won't see
which side their bread's buttered on。 They oppose me at every step； they
vote against their own interests。 Some years ago they put up a job on
us； and sent a scatter…brained radical to the legislature。〃
〃Krebs。〃
〃Do you know him？〃
〃Slightly。 He was in my class at Harvard。。。。 Is he still here？〃 I
asked； after a pause。
〃Oh； yes。 But he hasn't gone to the legislature this time； we've seen to
that。 His father was a respectable old German who had a little shop and
made eye…glasses。 The son is an example of too much education。 He's a
notoriety seeker。 Oh； he's clever； in a way。 He's given us a good deal
of trouble； too； in the courts with damage cases。〃。。。
We came to a brighter； more spacious； well…to…do portion of the town；
where the residences faced the river。 In a little while the waters
widened into a lake； which was surrounded by a park； a gift to the city
of the Hutchins family。 Facing it； on one side； was the Hutchins
Library； on the other； across a wide street； where the maples were
turning； were the Hutchinses' residences of various dates of
construction； from that of the younger George； who had lately married a
wife； and built in bright yellow brick； to the old…fashioned mansion of
Ezra himself。 This； he told me； had been good enough for his father； and
was good enough for him。 The picture of it comes back to me； now； with
singular attractiveness。 It was of brick； and I suppose a modification
of the Georgian； the kind of house one still sees in out…of…the way
corners of London； with a sort of Dickensy flavour； high and square and
uncompromising； with small…paned windows； with a flat roof surrounded by
a low balustrade； and many substantial chimneys。 The third storey was
lower than the others； separated from them by a distinct line。 On one
side was a wide porch。 Yellow and red leaves； the day's fall； scattered
the well…kept lawn。 Standing in the doorway of the house was a girl in
white； and as we descended from the surrey she came down the walk to meet
us。 She was young； about twenty。 Her hair was the colour of the russet
maple leaves。
〃This is Mr。 Paret； Maude。〃 Mr。 Hutchins looked at his watch as does a
man accustomed to live by it。 〃If you'll excuse me； Mr。 Paret； I have
something important to attend to。 Perhaps Mr。 Paret would like to look
about the grounds？〃 He addressed his daughter。
I said I should be delighted； though I had no idea what grounds were
meant。 As I followed Maude around the house she explained that all the
Hutchins connection had a common back yard； as she expressed it。 In
reality； there were about two blocks of the property； extending behind
all the houses。 There were great trees with swings； groves； orchards
where the late apples glistened between the leaves； an old…fashioned
flower garden loath to relinquish its blooming。 In the distance the
shadowed western ridge hung like a curtain of deep blue velvet against
the sunset。
〃What a wonderful spot！〃 I exclaimed。
〃Yes； it is nice；〃 she agreed； 〃we were all brought up hereI mean my
cousins and myself。 There are dozens of us。 And dozens left；〃 she
added； as the shouts and laughter of children broke the stillness。
A boy came running around the corner of the path。 He struck out at
Maude。 With a remarkably swift movement she retaliated。
〃Ouch！〃 he exclaimed。
〃You got him that time；〃 I laughed； and； being detected； she suddenly
blushed。 It was this act that drew my attention to her； that defined her
as an individual。 Before that I had regarded her merely as a shy and
provincial girl。 Now she was brimming with an unsuspected vitality。 A
certain interest was aroused； although her shyness towards me was not
altered。 I found it rather a flattering shyness。
〃It's Hugh；〃 she explained； 〃he's always trying to be funny。 Speak to
Mr。 Paret； Hugh。〃
〃Why； that's my name； too；〃 I said。
〃Is it？〃
〃She knocked my hat off a little while ago；〃 said Hugh。 〃I was only
getting square。〃
〃Well； you didn't get square； did you？〃 I asked。
〃Are you going to speak in the tows hall to…night？〃 the boy demanded。 I
admitted it。 He went off； pausing once to stare back at me。。。。 Maude
and I walked on。
〃It must be exciting to speak before a large audience；〃 she said。 〃If I
were a man； I think I should like to be in politics。〃
〃I cannot imagine you in politics；〃 I answered。
She laughed。
〃I said； if I were a man。〃
〃Are you going to the meeting？〃
〃Oh； yes。 Father promised to take me。 He has a box。〃
I thought it would be pleasant to have her there。
〃I'm afraid you'll find what I have to say rather dry；〃 I said。
〃A woman can't expect to understand everything；〃 she answered quickly。
This remark struck me favourably。 I glanced at her sideways。 She was
not a beauty； but she was distinctly well…formed and strong。 Her face
was oval； her features not quite regular；giving them a certain charm；
her colour was fresh； her eyes blue； the lighter blue one sees on Chinese
ware： not a poetic comparison； but so I thought of them。 She was
apparently not sophisticated； as were most of the young women at home
whom I knew intimately （as were the Watling twins； for example； with one
of whom； Frances； I had had； by the way； rather a lively flirtation the
spring before）； she seemed refreshingly original； impressionable and
plastic。。。。
We walked slowly back to the house； and in the hallway I met Mrs。
Hutchins； a bustling； housewifely lady； inclined to stoutness； whose
creased and kindly face bore witness to long acquiescence in the
discipline of matrimony； to the contentment that results from an
essentially circumscribed and comfortable life。 She was； I learned
later； the second Mrs。 Hutchins； and Maude their only child。 The
children of the first marriage； all girls； had married and scattered。
Supper was a decorous but heterogeneous meal of the old…fashioned sort
that gives one the choice between tea and cocoa。 It was something of an
occasion； I suspected。 The minister was there； the Reverend Mr。
Doddridge； who would have made； in appearance at least； a perfect Puritan
divine in a steeple hat and a tippet。 Onlyhe was no longer the leader
of the community； and even in his grace he had the air of deferring to
the man who provided the bounties of which we were about to partake
rather than to the Almighty。 Young George was there； Mr。 Hutchins's
nephew； who was daily becoming more and more of a factor in the
management of the mills； and had built the house of yellow brick that
stood out so incongruously among the older Hutchinses' mansions； and
marked a transition。 I thought him rather a yellow…brick gentleman
himself for his assumption of cosmopolitan manners。 His wife was a
pretty； discontented little woman who plainly deplored her environment；
longed for larger fields of conquest： George； she said； must remain where
he was； for the present at least；Uncle Ezra depended on him； but
Elkington was a prosy place； and Mrs。 George gave the impression that she
did not belong here。 They went to the city on occasions； both cities。
And when she told me we had a common acquaintance in Mrs。 Hambleton
Durrettwhom she thought so lovely！I knew that she had taken Nancy as
an ideal： Nancy； the social leader of what was to Mrs。 George a
metropolis。
Presently the talk became general among the men； the subject being the
campaign； and I the authority； bombarded with questions I strove to
answer judicially。 What was the situation in this county and in that？
the national situation？ George indulged in rather a vigorous arraignment
of the demagogues； nationa