“This is to be an open meeting, Mrs. Dott,” said Annette graciously. “You see, we have open meetings, just as you do in Trumet, although I doubt if you find much resemblance between the two. You'd scarcely expect that, would you? Ha! ha! It is a good thing,” she added, addressing the occupants of the carriage in general, “for these husbands of ours to be shown occasionally what their wives are capable of. Here is our Chapter building. Phelps, give Mrs. Dott your arm.”
The Chapter building proved to be not quite up to Serena's expectation. It was a building, of course, but the Chapter occupied only two or three rooms on the third floor, the other floors being occupied by offices of various sorts. The largest room, that which Mrs. Black dignified by the title of “Assembly Hall,” was partially filled when they entered. Some sixty women of various ages, with a sprinkling of men among them, occupied the chairs on the floor. Upon the speakers' platform half a dozen ladies in radiant attire were chatting volubly with another, an imposing creature in crimson silk, who surveyed the audience through a gold lorgnette, and whose general appearance reminded Daniel of one of the stuffed armchairs in the parlor of their new home.
“That is Mrs. Cornish, the speaker of the evening,” whispered Annette. “She is one of our most brilliant members.”
“Yes,” replied Dan'l, to whom the information had been imparted, and upon whom the crimson silk had made an impression; “yes, she—she does look sort of—sort of brilliant.”
“But I thought the Chapter was larger than this,” said the puzzled Mrs. Dott. “I thought Scarford had one of the largest Chapters.”
“Oh, no, not the largest, merely one of the best. Our motto always has been quality not quantity. And now will you excuse me? They are waiting for me on the platform. I will see you when the open meeting is over. Phelps, find good seats for Mr. and Mrs. Dott.”
She bustled away to the platform. The gloomy B. Phelps found seats for the guests and himself and sank heavily down beside them. Daniel, who had been gazing about him with curiosity, whispered a question.
“What do they do at these things, Barney—Phelps, I mean?” he asked. “Are they like lodge meetings at home? This is my first trip here, you know.”
“Humph!” grunted his companion. “You're in luck.”
“Talk, don't they?”