rich or not," said Mrs. Lee.

"Well, I don't know," said Mrs. Van Dorn. "Of course nobody is going
to say that money is everything, and of course everybody knows that
good character is worth more than anything else, and yet I do feel as
if folks with money can do so much if they have the will."

"I think that these new people are very generous with their money,"
said Mrs. Morris. "I heard they about supported the church in
Hillfield, New York, where they used to live, and Captain Carroll has
joined the Village Improvement Society, and he says he is very much
averse to trading with any but the local tradesmen."

"What is he captain of?" inquired Mrs. Lee, who had at times a
fashion of putting a question in a most fatuously simple and childish
manner.

"Oh, I don't suppose he is really captain of anything now," replied
Mrs. Morris. "I don't know how he happened to be captain, but I
suppose he must have been a captain in the regular army."

"I suppose he hasn't any business, he is so very rich?"

"Oh yes; he has something in the City. I dare say he does not do very
much at it, but I presume he is an active man and does not want to be
idle."

"Why didn't he stay in the army, then?" asked Mrs. Lee, clasping her
small white kid hands and puckering her face inquiringly.