''
``When I was born,'' said Miss Clearwater, ``we lived in a log
cabin up in the mining district of Michigan.''
Selma showed the astonishment the other girls were feeling. But
while their astonishment was in part at a girl of Ellen
Clearwater's position making such a degrading confession, hers
had none of that element in it. ``You don't in the least suggest
a log cabin or poverty of any kind,'' said she. ``I supposed you
had always been rich and beautifully dressed.''
``No, indeed,'' replied Ellen. She gazed calmly round at the
other girls who were listening. ``I doubt if any of us here was
born to what you see. Of course we-- some of us--make
pretenses--all sorts of silly pretenses. But as a matter of fact
there isn't one of us who hasn't near relatives in the cabins or
the tenements at this very moment.''
There was a hasty turning away from this dangerous conversation.
Jane came back from ordering the rearrangement of her luncheon
table. Said Selma:
``I'd like to wash my hands, and smooth my hair a little.''
``You take her up, Ellen,'' said Jane. ``And hurry. We'll be in
the dining-room when you come down.''
Selma's eyes were wide and roving as she and Ellen went through
the drawing-room, the hall, up stairs and into the very prettily
furnished suite which Ellen was occupying. ``I never saw
anything like this before!'' exclaimed Selma. ``It's the first
time I was ever in a grand house.
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