at Bar Harbor, while you were with the Carters at Homburg--and thought
him charming; and I had some most interesting chats with his wife,
who is much the same sort of invalid that I am. But when I establish a
standard I am consistent enough to want to keep to it. I asked you
what Sally Carter says of the others."

"Oh, she admits that there may be others as _convenable_ as Senator
North and Senator Maxwell, and that there is no doubt about there
being many bright men in the Senate; but she 'does not care to know
any more people.' Being a good cave-dweller, she is true to her
traditions."

"People will say you are _passee,_" exclaimed Mrs. Madison, hopefully.
"They will be sure to."

Her daughter laughed, showing teeth as brilliant as her eyes. Then she
snatched off her riding-hat and shook down her mane of warm brown
hair. Her black brows and lashes, like her eyes and mouth, were vivid,
but her hair and complexion were soft, without lustre, but very warm.
She looked like a flower set on so strongly sapped a stem that her
fullness would outlast many women's decline. She had inherited the
beauty of her father's branch of the family. Mrs. Madison was very
small and thin; but she carried herself erectly and her delicately cut
face was little wrinkled. Her eyes were blue, and her hair, which was
always carefully rolled, was as white as sea foam. Betty would not
permit her to wear black, but dressed her in delicate colours, and she
looked somewhat like an animated miniature. She dabbed impatiently at
her tears.

"Everybody will cut you--if you go into that dreadful political set."