society.  They rode together on fine mornings, sipped their “Congress” together before lunch, and attended hops together in the evenings.  Now the reason why Mrs. Smithe’s society had so suddenly palled upon her, and the words that she was pleased to call “conversation” become such vapid things, Ruth did not know, and did not for one instant attribute to Chautauqua; and yet that meeting had already stamped its impression upon her.  From serene, indifferent heights she liked to look down upon and admire earnestness; therefore Chautauqua, despite all her disgust over the common surroundings and awkward accommodations, had pleased her fancy and arrested her attention more than she herself realized.  It was her fate to be thrown almost constantly with Mrs. Smithe during the day, and before the afternoon closed she was surfeited.  She heartily wished herself back to the grounds, and found herself wondering what they were singing, and whether the service of song was really very interesting.

One episode in her day had interested her, and she could not tell whether it had most amused or annoyed her.  One of their party was conversing with a gentleman as she came up.  She had just time to observe that he was young and fine-looking, when the two turned to her, and she was introduced to the stranger.

“You are from Chautauqua?” he said, speaking rapidly and earnestly.  “Grand meeting, isn’t it?  Going to be better than last year, I think.  Were you there?  No?  Then you don’t know what a treat you are to have.  I’m very sorry to lose to-day.  It has been a good day, I know.  The programme was rich; but a matter of business made it necessary to be away.  It is unfortunate for me that I am so near home.  If I were two or three hundred miles away where the business couldn’t reach me, I should get more benefit.  Miss Erskine, what is your opinion of the direct spiritual results of this gathering?  I do not mean upon Christians.  No one, of course, can doubt its happy influence upon our hearts and lives.  But I mean, are you hopeful as to the reaching of many of the unconverted, or do you consider its work chiefly among us?”

Such a volley of words?  They fairly poured forth!  And the speaker was so intensely in earnest, and so assured in his use of that word “we,” as if it were a matter that was entirely beyond question that she was one of the magic “we.”  She did not know how to set out to work to enlighten him.  In fact, she gave little thought to that part of the matter, but, instead, fell to wondering what was her idea—­whether she did expect to see results of any sort from the great gathering, and that being the case, what she expected?  “Spiritual results,” she said to herself, and a smile hovered over her face—­what were “spiritual results?” She knew nothing about them. Were there any such things?  Eurie Mitchell, had such a question occurred to her, would have asked it aloud at once and enjoyed the sense of shocking her auditor.  But Ruth did not like to shock people; she was too much of a lady for that.