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THE FOUR PHILANTHROPISTS

nature. But look here, I'm afraid that we've got to face the fact that we're getting a little tired of our philanthropic endeavor. After all we've set the Children's Hospital well on its feet."

"Do you mean that you want to stop?" she cried, and her face grew bright

"Well, I find my enthusiasm for practical Philanthropy on the wane. I gaze upon the objectionable and the unobjectionable with indifferent eyes as long as they keep away from me. Perhaps it's the caution of age. I feel, too, that practical Philanthropy divorced from passionate enthusiasm has no adequate justification.

"Then the General Philanthropic Removal Company will come to an end!" she cried almost joyfully.

"Well as far as my resigning my directorship goes."

"And I shall resign mine, too," she said quickly.

"Then I think that will about smash it up, though it may always suffer a change—Chelubai and Bottiger may co-opt new directors. But what has become of your war with the world?"

"I don't know," she said slowly. "I don't feel about it as I did—after that horrible time."

We were both pleased by our unanimous weariness of practical Philanthropy, but we were of the opinion that we ought to help carry through the kidnapping of Gutermann. We could not desert