After the tour was at an end, and just before the party descended to the drawing-room, Mrs. Fenholtz turned to Serena and said:

“Mrs. Dott, are you interested in club matters; in women's clubs, I mean?”

Serena's answer was a prompt one.

“Indeed I am,” she said. “I have always been interested in them. In fact, I am president of the Trumet Chapter; that is, I was; of course, I resigned when I came here.”

Mrs. Fenholtz looked puzzled.

“Trumet Chapter?” she repeated.

“Why, yes, the Chapter of the Guild of the Ladies of Honor. The order Mrs. Black belongs to.”

“Oh!” in a slightly different tone. “Oh, yes, I see.”

“I'm terribly interested in THAT,” declared Serena enthusiastically. “If you knew the hours and hours I have put in working for the Guild. It is a splendid movement; don't you think so?”

“Why—why, I have no doubt it is. I don't belong to it myself. I was thinking of our local club, our Scarford women's club, when I spoke. I thought perhaps you might care to attend a meeting of that with me.”