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The fabric of civilized life is interwoven with blackmail: even some of the noblest people do favours for other people who are depended upon not to tell so that the noblest people have done Blackmail is born into us all, and our nurses teach usto tell our parents if on't do this and that--and our parents threaten to tell the doctor--and so we learn! Blackmail is part of the daily life of a child Displeased, his first resort to get his ith other children is a threat to "tell," but by-and-by his experience discovers the ht it is no longer the ticket to threaten to tell the teacher; and, a little later, threatening to tell any adult at all is considered so of a breakdown in morals Notoriously, the code is more liable to infraction by people of the physically weaker sex, for the very reason, of course, that their inferiority of muscle so frequently compels such a sin, if they are to have their way But for Florence there was now no such te to the demolition of Atwater & Rooter, an exposure before adults of the results of "Truth" would have been an effect of the sickliest pallor coht be accomplished by a careful use of the catastrophic Wallie Torbin

On Sunday evening it was her privileged custoo to the house of fat old Great-Uncle Joseph and remain until nine o'clock, in chatty companionship with Uncle Joseph and Aunt Carrie, his wife, and a few other relatives (including Herbert) ere in the habit of dropping in there, on Sunday evenings In summer, lemonade and cake were frequently provided; in the autumn, one still found cake, and perhaps a pitcher of clear new cider: apples were a certainty

This evening was glorious: there were apples and cider and cake, alnuts, perfectly cracked, and a large open-hearted box of candy; for Uncle Joseph and Aunt Carrie had foreseen the co of several more Atwaters than usual, to talk over the new affairs of their beautiful relative, Julia Seldohly talked over than were Julia's that evening; though all the tiht wiser that Herbert and Florence should not yet be told of Julia's engagement; and Florence's parents were not present to confess their indiscretion Julia was referred to as "the traveller"; othercaution, and all the while Florence merely ate inscrutably Thehis attention