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Jane's face almost brightened。 ‘‘I've been rather hurt because I hadn't received a word of sympathy from them；'' she said。
‘‘They'd have come； themselves； except that politics has made a very ugly feeling against themand Galland's your brother…in…law。''
‘‘I understand；'' said Jane。 ‘‘But I'm not Galland and not of that party。''
‘‘Oh； yes； you are of that party；'' replied Charlton。 ‘‘You draw your income from it； and one belongs to whatever he draws his income from。 Civilization means propertyas yet。 And it doesn't mean men and women as yet。 So； to know the man or the woman we look at the property。''
‘‘That's hideously unjust；'' cried Jane。
‘‘Don't be utterly egotistical；'' said Charlton。 ‘‘Don't attach so much importance to your little； mortal； WEAK personality。 Try to realize that you're a mere chip in the great game of chance。 You're a chip with the letter P on itwhich stands for Plutocracy。 And you'll be played as you're labeled。''
‘‘You make it very hard for any one to like you。''
‘‘Wellgood…by； then。''
And ignoring her hasty； half…laughing； half…serious protests he took himself away。 She was intensely irritated。 A rapid change in her outward character had been going forward since her father's deatha change in the direction of intensifying the traits that had always been really dominant； but had been less apparent because softened by other traits now rapidly whithering。
The cause of the change was her inheritance。
Martin Hastings； remaining all his life in utter ignorance of the showy uses of wealth and looking on it with the eyes of a farm hand； had remained the enriched man of the lower classes； at heart a member of his original class to the end。 The effect of this upon Jane had been to keep in check all the showy and arrogant； all the upper class； tendencies which education and travel among the upper classes of the East and of Europe had implanted in her。 So long as plain old Martin lived； she could not FEEL the position she hador； rather； would some day havein the modern social system。 But just as soon as he passed away； just as soon as she became a great heiress； actually in possession of that which made the world adore； that which would buy servility； flattery； awejust so soon did she begin to be an upper…class lady。
She had acquired a superficial knowledge of business enough to enable her to understand what the various items in the long； long schedule of her holdings meant。 Symbols of her importance； of her power。 She had studied the ‘‘great ladies'' she had met in her travels and visitings。 She had been impressed by the charm of the artistic； carefully cultivated air of simplicity and equality affected by the greatest of these great ladies as those born to wealth and position。 To be gentle and natural； to be graciousthat was the ‘‘proper thing。'' So； she now adopted a manner that was if anything too kindly。 Her pose； her mask； behind which she was concealing her swollen and still swelling pride and sense of superiority； as yet fitted badly。 She ‘‘overacted；'' as youth is apt to do。 She would have given a shrewd observerone not dazzled by her wealth beyond the power of clear sightthe impression that she was pitying the rest of mankind； much as we all pity and forbear with a hopeless cripple。
But the average observer would simply have said： ‘‘What a sweet； natural girl； so unspoiled by her wealth！''just as the hopeless cripple says； ‘‘What a polite person；'' as he gets the benefit of effusive good manners that would； if he were shrewd； painfully remind him that he was an unfortunate creature。
Of all the weeds that infest the human garden snobbishness； the commonest； is the most prolific； and it is a mighty cross breeder； toomodifying every flower in the garden； changing colors from rich to glaring； changing odors from perfumes to sickening…sweet or to stenches。 The dead hands of Martin Hastings scattered showers of shining gold upon his daughter's garden； and from these seeds was springing a heavy crop of that most prolific of weeds。
She was beginning to resent Charlton's manner bluff； unceremonious； candid； at times rude。 He treated women exactly as he treated men； and he treated all men as intimates； free and easy fellow travelers afoot upon a dusty； vulgar highway。 She had found charm in that manner； so natural to the man of no pretense； of splendid physical proportions； of the health of a fine tree。 She was beginning to get into the state of mind at which practically all very rich people in a civilized society sooner or later arrivea state of mind that makes it impossible for any to live with or near them except hirelings and dependents。 The habit of power of any kind breeds intolerance of equality of level intercourse。 This is held in check； often held entirely in check； where the power is based upon mental superiority； for the very superiority of the mind keeps alive the sense of humor and the sense of proportion。 Not so the habit of money power。 For money power is brutal； mindless。 And as it is the only real power in any and all aristocracies； aristocracies are inevitably brutal and brutalizing。
If Jane had been poor； or had remained a few years longeruntil her character was better setunder the restraining influence of her unfrilled and unfrillable father； her passion for power； for superiority would probably have impelled her to develop her mind into a source of power and position。 Fate abruptly gave her the speediest and easiest means to power known in our plutocratic civilization。 She would have had to be superhuman in beauty of character or a genius in mind to have rejected the short and easy way to her goal and struggled on in the long and hardand doubtfulway。
She did not herself appreciate the change within herself。 She fancied she was still what she had been two weeks before。 For as yet nothing had occurred to enable her to realize her changed direction； her changed view of life。 Thus； she was still thinking of Victor Dorn as she had thought of him； and she was impatient to see him。 She was now free FREE！ She could； without consulting anybody； have what she wanted。 And she wanted Victor Dorn。
She had dropped from her horse and with her arm through the bridle was strolling along one of the quieter roads which Victor often took in his rambles。 It was a tonic October day； with floods of sunshine upon the gorgeous autumnal foliage； never more gorgeous than in that fall of the happiest alternations of frost and warmth。 She heard the pleasant rustle of quick steps in the fallen leaves that carpeted the byroad。 She knew it was he before she glanced； and his first view of her face was of its beauty enhanced by a color as delicate and charming as that in the leaves about them。
She looked at his hands in which he was holding something half concealed。 ‘‘What is it？'' she said； to cover her agitation。
He opened his hands a little wider。 ‘‘A bird；'' said he。 ‘‘Some hunter has broken its wing。 I'm taking it to Charlton for repairs and a fair start for its winter down South。''
His eyes noted for an instant significantly her sombre riding costume； then sought her eyes with an expression of simple and friendly sympathy。 The tears came to her eyes； and she turned her face away。 She for the first time had a sense of loss； a moving memory of her father's goodness to her； of an element of tenderness that had passed out of her life forever。 And she felt abjectly ashamedashamed of her relief at the lifting of the burden of his long struggle against death； ashamed of her miserable wranglings with Martha and Billy's wife； ashamed of her forgetfulness of her father in the exultation over her wealth； ashamed of the elaborately fashionable mourning she was wearingand of the black horse she had bought to match。 She hoped he would not observe these last flauntings of the purely formal character of a grief that was being utilized to make a display of fashionableness。
‘‘You always bring out the best there is in me；'' said she。
He stood silently before hernot in embarrassment； for he was rarely self…conscious enough to be embarrassed； but refraining from speech simply because there was nothing to say。
‘‘I haven't heard any of the details of the election；'' she went on。 ‘‘Did you come out as well as you hoped？''
‘‘Better；'' said he。 ‘‘As a result of the election the membership of the League has already a little more than doubled。 We could have quadrupled it； but we are somewhat strict in our requirements。 We want only those who will stay members as long as they stay citizens of Remsen City。 But I must go on to Charlton or he'll be out on his rounds。''
She caught his glance； which was inclined to avoid hers。 She gave him a pleading look。 ‘‘I'll walk with you part of the way；'' she said。
He seemed to be searching for an excuse to get away。 Whether because he failed to find it or because he changed his mind； he said： ‘‘You'll not mind going at a good gait？''
‘‘I'll ride；'' said she。 ‘‘It's not comfortable； walking fast in these boots。''
He stood by to help her； but let her get into the saddle alone。 She smiled down at him with a little coquetry。 ‘‘Are you afraid to touch meto…day？'' she asked。
He laug