208 Maxey 



he had the appreciation of worth that told him only 

 a beautiful soul could make him happy. And yet 

 his experience with women was so limited that he 

 could not readily distinguish between a noble soul 

 and one which only seemed so. It was not surpris- 

 ing, therefore, that when he met a certain attractive 

 young lady, the daughter of a prominent merchant, 

 whose beauty of face seemed slight compared with her 

 loveliness of spirit, he was at first deeply interested in 

 her, and that this interest should soon ripen into love. 

 Outwardly she was charming. She had beauty and 

 accomplishments, and was actively engaged in the 

 many charitable enterprises of society. Fairs, festi- 

 vals, and charity balls, all found in her a ready 

 patroness. Her social ambitions were subtle but un- 

 bounded. She saw in Herbert a means to this end. 

 His standing, his wealth, his acquirements, were all 

 to her purpose, and his suit was prosperous. But 

 if the affair was a deliberate one on her part, it was 

 not so with him. He loved the ideal as he thought 

 he saw it revealed in her, and he was very happy. 

 One charming afternoon Herbert was walking 

 along the Platte River road, accompanied by his 



