picturesque；　more　dreamily　beautiful；　than　the　American　commercial　mind
  was　usually　able　to　compass；　even　when　possessed　of　millions。　　The　hotel
  of　itself　was　a　pleasure　palacewholly　unostentatious；　full　of　gaiety
  and　charm；　offering　lovely　chambers　for　guests　and　residents；　and　every
  opportunity　for　healthful　amusement。　　There　was　the　rare　luxury　of　a　big
  swimming…pool；　there　were　billiard　rooms；　card　rooms；　reading　rooms；
  lounging　rooms　and　dancing　rooms　of　satisfying　extent。
  Outside　there　were　tennis…courts；　badminton；　roque；　even　croquet；　and
  the　wide　roof　was　a　garden　of　Babylon；　a　Court　of　the　Stars；　with　views
  of　purple　mountains；　fair；　wide　valley　and　far…flashing　rim　of　sea。
  Around　it；　each　in　its　own　hedged　garden；　nestled　〃Las　Casas〃the
  Housestwenty　in　number；　with　winding　shaded　paths；　groups　of　rare
  trees；　a　wilderness　of　flowers；　between　and　about　them。　　In　one　corner
  was　a　playground　for　childrena　wall　around　this；　that　they　might　shout
  in　freedom；　and　the　nursery　thereby　gave　every　provision　for　the
  happiness　and　safety　of　the　little　ones。
  The　people　poured　along　the　winding　walls；　entered　the　pretty　cottages；
  were　much　impressed　by　a　little　flock　of　well…floored　tents　in　another
  corner；　but　came　back　with　Ohs！　and　Ahs！　of　delight　to　the　large
  building　in　the　Avenue。
  Diantha　went　all　over　the　place；　inch　by　inch；　her　eyes　widening　with
  admiration；　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Porne　and　Mrs。　Weatherstone　with　her。　　She
  enjoyed　the　serene；　well…planned　beauty　of　the　whole；　approved　heartily
  of　the　cottages；　each　one　a　little　different；　each　charming　in　its　quiet
  privacy；　admired　the　plentiful　arrangements　for　pleasure　and　gay
  association；　but　her　professional　soul　blazed　with　enthusiasm　over　the
  great　kitchens；　clean　as　a　hospital；　glittering　in　glass　and　copper　and
  cool　tiling；　with　the　swift；　sure　electric　stove。
  The　fuel　all　went　into　a　small；　solidly　built　power　house；　and　came　out
  in　light　and　heat　and　force　for　the　whole　square。
  Diantha　sighed　in　absolute　appreciation。
  〃Fine；　isn't　it？〃　said　Mr。　Porne。
  〃How　do　you　like　the　architecture？〃　asked　Mrs。　Porne。
  〃What　do　you　think　of　my　investment？〃　said　Mrs。　Weatherstone。　　Diantha
  stopped　in　her　tracks　and　looked　from　one　to　the　other　of　them。
  〃Fact。　　I　control　the　stockI'm　president　of　the　Hotel　del　las　Casas
  Company。　　Our　friends　here　have　stock　in　it；　too；　and　more　that　you
  don't　know。　　We　think　it's　going　to　be　a　paying　concern。　　But　if　you　can
  make　it　go；　my　dear；　as　I　think　you　will；　you　can　buy　us　all　out　and　own
  the　whole　outfit！〃
  It　took　some　time　to　explain　all　this；　but　the　facts　were　visible
  enough。
  〃Nothing　remarkable　at　all；〃　said　Mrs。　Weatherstone。　　〃Here's　Astor　with
  three　big　hotels　on　his　handswhy　shouldn't　I　have　one　to　play　with？
  And　I've　got　to　employ　_somebody_　to　manage　it！〃
  *
  Within　a　year　of　her　marriage　Diantha　was　at　the　head　of　this　pleasing
  Centre　of　Housekeeping。　　She　kept　the　hotel　itself　so　that　it　was　a　joy
  to　all　its　patrons；　she　kept　the　little　houses　homes　of　pure　delight　for
  those　who　were　so　fortunate　as　to　hold　them；　and　she　kept　up　her　〃c。　f。
  d。〃　business　till　it　grew　so　large　she　had　to　have　quite　a　fleet　of
  delivery　wagons。
  Orchardina　basked　and　prospered；　its　citizens　found　their　homes　happier
  and　less　expensive　than　ever　before；　and　its　citizenesses　began　to　wake
  up　and　to　do　things　worth　while。
  *
  Two　years；　and　there　was　a　small　Ross　Warden　born。
  She　loved　it；　nursed　it；　and　ran　her　business　at　long　range　for　some　six
  months。　　But　then　she　brought　nurse　and　child　to　the　hotel　with　her；
  placed　them　in　the　cool；　airy　nursery　in　the　garden；　and　varied　her　busy
  day　with　still　hours　by　herselfthe　baby　in　her　arms。
  Back　they　came　together　before　supper；　and　found　unbroken　joy　and　peace
  in　the　quiet　of　home；　but　always　in　the　background　was　the　current　of
  Ross'　unspoken　disapproval。
  Three　years；　four　years。
  There　were　three　babies　now；　Diantha　was　a　splendid　woman　of　thirty；
  handsome　and　strong；　pre…eminently　successfuland　yet；　there　were　times
  when　she　found　it　in　her　heart　to　envy　the　most　ordinary　people　who
  loved　and　quarreled　and　made　up　in　the　little　outlying　ranch　houses
  along　the　road；　they　had　nothing　between　them；　at　least。
  Meantime　in　the　friendly　opportunities　of　Orchardina　society；　added　to
  by　the　unexampled　possibilities　of　Las　Casas　（and　they　did　not　scorn
  this　hotel　nor　Diantha's　position　in　it）；　the　three　older　Miss　Wardens
  had　married。　　Two　of　them　preferred　〃the　good　old　way；〃　but　one　tried
  the　〃d。　s。〃　　and　the　〃c。　f。　d。〃　and　liked　them　well。
  Dora　amazed　and　displeased　her　family；　as　soon　as　she　was　of　age；　by
  frankly　going　over　to　Diantha's　side　and　learning　bookkeeping。　　She
  became　an　excellent　accountant　and　bade　fair　to　become　an　expert　manager
  soon。
  Ross　had　prospered　in　his　work。　　It　may　be　that　the　element　of
  dissatisfaction　in　his　married　life　spurred　him　on；　while　the　unusual
  opportunities　of　his　ranch　allowed　free　effort。　　He　had　always　held　that
  the　〃non…transmissability　of　acquired　traits〃　was　not　established　by　any
  number　of　curtailed　mice　or　crop…eared　rats。　　〃A　mutilation　is　not　an
  acquired　trait；〃　he　protested。　　〃An　acquired　trait　is　one　gained　by
  exercise；　it　modifies　the　whole　organism。　　It　must　have　an　effect　on　the
  race。　　We　expect　the　sons　of　a　line　of　soldiers　to　inherit　their
  fathers'　courageperhaps　his　habit　of　obediencebut　not　his　wooden
  leg。〃
  To　establish　his　views　he　selected　from　a　fine　family　of　guinea…pigs　two
  pair；　set　the　one；　Pair　A；　in　conditions　of　ordinary　guinea…pig　bliss；
  and　subjected　the　other；　Pair　B；　to　a　course　of　discipline。　　They　were
  trained　to　run。　　They；　and　their　descendants　after　them；　pair　following
  on　pair；　first　with　slow…turning　wheels　as　in　squirrel　cages；　the　wheel
  inexorably　going；　machine…driven；　and　the　luckless　little　gluttons
  having　to　move　on；　for　gradually　increasing　periods　of　time；　at
  gradually　increasing　speeds。　　Pair　A　and　their　progeny　were　sheltered
  and　fed；　but　the　rod　was　spared；　Pair　B　were　as　the　guests　at
  〃Muldoon's〃they　had　to　exercise。　　With　scientific　patience　and
  ingenuity；　he　devised　mechanical　surroundings　which　made　them　jump
  increasing　spaces；　which　made　them　run　always　a　little　faster　and　a
  little　farther；　and　he　kept　a　record　as　carefully　as　if　these　little
  sheds　were　racing　stables　for　a　king。
  Several　centuries　of　guinea…pig　time　went　by；　generation　after
  generation　of　healthy　guinea…pigs　passed　under　his　modifying　hands；　and
  after　some　five　years　he　had　in　one　small　yard　a　fine　group　of　the
  descendants　of　his　gall…fed　pair；　and　in　another　the　offspring　of　the
  trained　ones；　nimble；　swift；　as　different　from　the　first　as　the
  razor…backed　pig　of　the　forest　from　the　fatted　porkers　in　the　sty。　　He
  set　them　to　racethe　young　untrained　specimens　of　these　distant
  cousinsand　the　hare　ran　away　from　the　tortoise　completely。
  Great　zoologists　and　biologists　came　to　see　him；　studied；　fingered；
  poked；　and　examined　the　records；　argued　and　disbelievedand　saw　them
  run。
  〃It　is　natural　selection；〃　they　said。　　〃It　profited　them　to　run。〃
  〃Not　at　all；〃　said　he。　　〃They　were　fed　and　cared　for　alike；　with　no　gain
  from　running。〃
  〃It　was　artificial　selection；〃　they　said。　　〃You　picked　out　the　speediest
  for　your　training。〃
  〃Not　at　all；〃　said　he。　　〃I　took　always　any　healthy　pair　from　the　trained
  parents　and　from　the　untrained　onesquite　late　in　life；　you　understand；
  as　guinea…pigs　go。〃
  Anyhow；　there　were　the　pigs；　and　he　took　little　specialized　piglets
  scarce　weaned；　and　pitted　them　against　piglets　of　the　untrained　lotand
  they　outran　them　in　a　race　for　〃Mama。〃　　Wherefore　Mr。　Ross　Warden　found
  himself　famous　of　a　sudden；　and　all　over　the　scientific　world　the
  Wiesmanian　controversy　raged　anew。　　He　was　invited　to　deliver　a　lecture
  before　some　most　learned　societies　abroad；　and　in　several　important
  centers　at　home；　and　went；　rejoicing。
  Diantha　was　glad　for　him　from　the　bottom　of　her　heart；　and　proud　of　him
  through　and　through。　　She　thoroughly　appreciated　his　sturdy　opposition
  to　such　a　weight　of　authority；　his　long　patience；　his　careful；　steady
  work。　　She　was　left　in　full　swing　with　her　big　business；　busy　and
  successful；　honored　and　liked　by　all　the　townpracticallyand　quite
  independent　of　the　small　fraction　which　still　disapproved。　　Some　people
  always　will。　　She　was　happy；　too；　in　her　babiesvery　happy。
  The　Hotel　del　las　Casas　was　a　triumph。
  Diantha　owned　it　now；　and　Mrs。　Weatherstone　built　others；　in　other
  places；　at　a　large　profit。
  Mrs。　Warden　went　to　live　with　Cora　in　the　town。　　Cora　had　more　time　to
  entertain　heras　she　was　the　one　who　profited　by　her　sister…in…law's
  general　services。
  Diantha　sat　in　friendly　talk　with　Mrs。　Weatherstone　one　quiet　day；　and
  admitted　that　she　had　no　cause　for　complaint。
  〃And　yet？〃　said　her　friend。
  Young　Mrs。　Warden　smiled。　　〃There's　no　keeping　anything　from　you；　is
  there？　　Yesyou're　right。　　I'm　not　quite　satisfied。　　I　suppose　I　ought
  not　to　carebut　you　see；　I　love　him　so！　　I　want　him　to　_approve_　of
  me！not　just　put　up　with　it；　and　bear　it！　　I　want　him　to　_feel_　with
  meto　care。　　It　is　awful　to　know　that　all　this　big　life　of　mine　is　ju