X + 

Nearly a week had passed since Mrs. Merwent’s arrival at Rosedene and Jim had not visited the Winter home. This was an unprecedented length of time for him to stay away. + 

“How is Mr. Sprague, your partner?” Nannie queried one evening at dinner. + 

“Oh, he’s all right,” responded John, and then added, “Why he’s not been out since the day you came! I’ll ask him out to dinner tomorrow night. He’s no extra trouble.” + 

Lucy was silent. + 

“I’d like to get acquainted with him,” pursued Mrs. Merwent. “Of course if it’s too much work for Lucy⁠—” + 

“Why no,” answered John. “Lucy never has anything extra for Jim. Do you, Lucy? I want you to know him, Nannie. You’ll like him fine.” + 

“Lucy hasn’t said anything,” persisted Nannie. “I think she’d rather not have anybody.” + 

“No, it’s all right,” agreed Lucy. “Jim’s no extra trouble, ever.” + 

The next morning John told Jim. + 

“Nannie and Lucy want you for dinner,” John said. “You didn’t use to have to be asked. Why didn’t you come out before?” + 

“I’ve been going over the books,” explained Jim. “We must raise our prices on those small houses. We don’t make anything on them at present figures.” + 

That evening they took the train out to Rosedene together. + 

When they arrived Lucy was in the kitchen and Mrs. Merwent met them at the door. + 

“Are you tired?” she murmured solicitously as she kissed John’s cheek, then, smiling and extending her hand to Jim, “How do you do, Mr. Sprague? You’re quite a stranger. Lucy thought you had deserted us.” + 

“No, I’ve been busy,” he replied, taking her hand and smiling in turn. + 

When the three entered the dining room, Mrs. Merwent picked up two boutonnieres from the table and pinned first one on Jim’s coat lapel, and then the other on John’s. + 

“Thank you, Mrs. Merwent,” said Jim. + 

John patted her shoulder. + 

“Why, how sweet of you, Nannie!” he exclaimed. + 

At this juncture Dimmie rushed in and, throwing himself headlong into Jim’s outstretched arms, yelled delightedly, “Uncle Jim, Uncle Jim, the cat’s got kittens!” + 

“Why how boisterous you are, Jimmie.” Mrs. Merwent spoke reprovingly. (She never called him “Dimmie.”) + 

“Yes,” said John. “You make too much noise, Dimmie.” + 

“He’s all right. I’m used to him,” put in Jim. He realized as he spoke that never before had he interfered in the child’s training. + 

“Well, if you like it.” Mrs. Merwent smiled. “I’m afraid you spoil him, Mr. Sprague,” she added. + 

Jim lifted Dimmie to his shoulder and went off to inspect the kittens. On the way they passed through the kitchen. + 

“Hello, Lucy.” Jim held out his hand. “Heard you thought I’d deserted you.” + 

“I can’t shake hands with you. My hands are all over flour,” she explained. “You know I never thought any such thing!” + 

“Yes, I know,” he answered. + 

Dimmie grew impatient. + 

“It’ll get dark and you can’t see the kittens,” he complained. + 

After Jim and Dimmie had left the dining room, Nannie, who was standing by the table, began to look about as if in search of something. + 

“Why, Lucy must have forgotten to order it,” she observed, as if to herself. Then she turned to her son-in-law, placing her hand on his arm. + 

“John,” she asked, smiling, “would you do Nannie a favor?” + 

“Sure,” he consented. “What is it?” + 

“I wish you would get me a little fruit to keep in my room. I like to eat a little before going to bed.” + 

“Of course. I’ll have some sent around in the morning.” + 

“I meant tonight⁠—if you didn’t mind.” + 

“All right. Jim and I’ll go and get it after dinner.” + 

“You cruel boy! You want to advertise my weakness to the world. I didn’t want anybody to know.” + 

“Good. I’ll just pop out and get it right away. How’s that?” + 

“You’re a dear boy. I’m afraid Lucy wouldn’t approve of spoiling me this way.” Mrs. Merwent walked into the hall where John followed her. + 

“Well, we won’t tell anybody,” declared John. He took his hat from the rack and went out the front door, closing it gently after him. + 

Jim and Dimmie came back from the kitten inspecting expedition and, entering the living room, found Mrs. Merwent alone. + 

“Mother was asking for you a minute ago, Jimmie,” she told the little boy. + 

Dimmie ran to the kitchen. + 

Jim sat down by the fire place. + 

“Everybody has left me to amuse myself, Mr. Sprague.” Nannie looked up at him challengingly from the depths of the Morris chair in which she was reclining. + 

“Why where’s John?” he asked. + 

“He’s gone out some place for a few minutes. I don’t know where,” she said. “Wouldn’t you like to smoke?” She rose. “I’ll get some of John’s cigarettes.” + 

“No, thank you. I don’t smoke cigarettes. I’ll fill my pipe if you don’t mind.” + 

“I smoke cigarettes sometimes, when I’m quite alone,” she confided, laughing slightly. + 

“Yes?” + 

“I suppose you don’t approve of ladies smoking, do you?” she insisted. + 

“If they want to.” + 

“Does Lucy smoke?” + 

“No.” + 

Mrs. Merwent laughed again. + 

“I didn’t know,” she declared. + 

Jim gazed at her steadily. The front door clicked and she started. + 

“Was that John?” she asked. + 

Jim rose and glanced through the window. + 

“No,” he responded. “It was Dimmie. He threw his ball into the street. Did you want anything, Mrs. Merwent?” + 

“Oh, no,” she assured him. “I just wondered. He said he was coming right back. Well, we don’t need a chaperone, do we?” + 

“Hardly,” replied Jim. + 

Mrs. Merwent dropped a marquise ring she had been pulling on and off her finger. Jim picked it up and handed it to her. + 

“Thank you. I shouldn’t be wearing rings with this old gown. I just put it on from force of habit.” + 

“Which?” asked Jim, smiling. + 

“The ring, of course, you sarcastic thing,” she retorted, striking his knee with the lace handkerchief in her hand. + 

“The dress is charming, Mrs. Merwent.” + 

“Oh, thank you. You’re going to be nice after all. Well, I was quite prepared to find you so. Lucy and John can’t say enough good things about you.” + 

“I’m much obliged to them,” he remarked, smiling again. “I can say the same of them.” + 

“How lovely! I do think real friendship is the grandest thing⁠—and so rare.” + 

“No doubt about that, Mrs. Merwent.” Jim smiled once more. + 

“Now I believe you’re making fun of me, Mr. Sprague.” + 

“I can assure you I’m not, Mrs. Merwent.” + 

“I envy them, you know. I’ve been so lonely since my⁠—trouble.” + 

“I can quite imagine,” said Jim sympathetically. “But now you are with your children and⁠—” + 

“Yes,” she interrupted hastily, “and isn’t John just the dearest fellow! I do so regret our misunderstanding. Though I was not to blame for it,” she added. + 

“John’s a good sort,” Jim agreed. + 

“And Lucy,” Mrs. Merwent now smiled. “You haven’t said anything about Lucy.” + 

“We weren’t talking about her.” + 

“Well, she’s a dear girl, although⁠—why I’ve burnt my slipper!” she broke off. “Do you know, Mr. Sprague, that I have the hardest time to get shoes narrow enough. It seems that most women, especially here in the North, have big feet. Lucy takes after her father. He was a Northern man.” + 

Jim seemed amused, and Mrs. Merwent concluded hastily. + 

“But here I am chattering on about me,” she said, “and you haven’t told me anything about yourself.” + 

“There isn’t much to tell, Mrs. Merwent.” + 

“Well, if you could hear Lucy and John talk about you you wouldn’t be so modest.” + 

“Neither of them has much critical acumen in matters of friendship.” + 

“But you are their only intimate friend.” + 

Jim laughed. + 

“That’s just it,” he asserted. + 

“You cynical thing!” she reproved banteringly. “I know you men with no illusions. I declare I’m afraid of you.” + 

“Not dangerous⁠—believe me, Mrs. Merwent.” + 

“No. You despise us women too much to take us seriously.” + 

“Some of the biggest individuals I have met have been women,” Jim answered gravely. + 

“Lucy, for instance.” + 

“Yes, Lucy,” agreed Jim. + 

“Well, I’m not much like her. Do you think so?” + 

“Our acquaintance is pretty brief to justify a fundamental judgment of that sort.” + 

“Oh, I’m not at all intellectual or deep. I can’t talk about Bergson and books like Jean Christophe that Lucy reads. I’m afraid you won’t like poor little me much.” + 

“There are lots of people I don’t like who talk about philosophy and musical novels.” His tone was pleasant. + 

“Well, I have a feeling already that you don’t like me very well.” + 

“I don’t think I could help liking Lucy’s mother,” Jim answered without conviction. + 

“Thanks! I don’t know that I care to be liked because I’m Lucy’s mother,” she replied, laughing nervously. “Your liking seems to be confined to Lucy and things belonging to her. That’s not very complimentary to the rest of us.” + 

Jim, who had been staring at the empty grate, glanced up and met Mrs. Merwent’s eyes. Her gaze dropped. + 

“Yes, I do like Lucy, and the people she likes,” he acknowledged frankly, “and if anybody liked me on the same recommendation I should feel honored. She is a person any man or woman must feel it a great privilege to know.” + 

Mrs. Merwent arched her brows. + 

“Of course I think just as you do about Lucy, Mr. Sprague, but if I were John I might” (she smiled again) “object the tiniest bit to your⁠—enthusiasm.” + 

“Object?” Jim looked blank. + 

“Maybe that is the wrong word.” Nannie’s smile grew more meaning. “It isn’t every man who enjoys having his wife admired too much.” + 

“If John objects he only needs to say so. I don’t think you quite understand the atmosphere of this household yet, Mrs. Merwent.” + 

“This household?” + 

“Your daughter then.” + 

“Well, I certainly think I ought to know her.” + 

“You ought, but the most charitable thing is to believe you don’t.” There was decided asperity in Jim’s tone. + 

Mrs. Merwent’s manner changed. She rose haughtily. + 

“What do you mean by that, Mr. Sprague!” she exclaimed. + 

Jim rose also, and the two scrutinized each other in silence for a moment. + 

“No offense intended,” he protested, turning and knocking his pipe out on the mantel shelf. + 

Nannie was still injured. + 

“I don’t see how such innocent remarks can be so misinterpreted,” she insisted, crumpling her handkerchief. + 

Jim did not answer at once. When he spoke his manner was authoritative. + 

“Don’t you think it would be wise to drop this topic, Mrs. Merwent?” + 

She preserved her air of dignity, but her uneasiness was obvious. + 

“I don’t understand you, Mr. Sprague. I certainly will not be stopped from doing my duty in protecting Lucy no matter if you do misunderstand me.” + 

“Protecting Lucy?” Jim’s eyes hardened. + 

Mrs. Merwent twisted her handkerchief nervously. + 

“Do you think Lucy needs to be protected from me, Mrs. Merwent?” he went on inexorably. + 

Lucy’s voice was heard calling Dimmie. Nannie backed toward the hallway. + 

Jim heard Lucy too. + 

“I think Lucy needs protecting from her own ignorance and inexperience,” explained Nannie defensively. “I’ve suffered enough from public opinion even though I was innocent, Mr. Sprague, and I can’t be expected to welcome the same thing for her.” + 

Jim seemed nonplussed. + 

“I confess you have the best of me, Mrs. Merwent.” + 

Nannie was mollified by seeing how disturbed he looked. + 

“I knew you would consider Lucy’s welfare just as I do.” Then she seemed to dismiss the discussion. “There she is now. She does spoil Jimmie so!” + 

“It has begun to rain, Dimmie. You mustn’t stay out in the rain. Where’s Papa?” Lucy was heard saying. + 

“Dear me! It is raining. I left a coat suit airing in the window. I’m packing away my winter things. You will excuse me while I go and take it in, Mr. Sprague?” Mrs. Merwent was smiling now, though she continued to regard Jim with apprehension. + 

Jim turned to face her suddenly. + 

“Hold on, Mrs. Merwent!” he began in an odd tone, his voice not quite under his control. + 

Nannie continued to smile impersonally but in spite of herself she hesitated. + 

“You will please tell me now just what you mean about Lucy and myself,” he demanded rather than asked. + 

“Maybe Uncle Jim knows where Papa is.” Lucy came toward the living room door. + 

Nannie raised her brows again and nodded at Jim significantly. + 

“Ahem⁠—I really don’t think we had better⁠—” she murmured. + 

Jim shrugged his shoulders with a baffled air and began to refill his pipe. At the same moment Lucy appeared in the doorway behind her mother. + 

“Where’s John?” Lucy asked, entering the room with Dimmie and glancing about inquiringly. + 

“Why he went out for a few minutes. I must run upstairs and take my clothes out of the rain,” Mrs. Merwent murmured, brushing past her daughter into the hallway. + 

“Whatever made John run away just when dinner was ready? And it’s begun to rain too!” Lucy walked over to the fireplace and placed a screen in front of it. + 

“Tell me a story, Uncle Jim,” Dimmie begged, pulling Jim’s coat tails and indicating the Morris chair which Nannie had quitted. + 

“It’s too near dinner time,” Lucy remonstrated, noticing how abstracted Jim appeared. She looked at the clock on the writing desk. “Is it as late as that?” she asked in surprise. + 

Jim took out his watch. + 

“Seven fifteen,” he informed her, replacing his timepiece, and walking over to the darkened window he remained, with his back to her, gazing into the faintly lit street. + 

She scrutinised his half averted face. + 

“Are you bothered about something, Jim?” + 

He started slightly. + 

“Why, no, not particularly. I was figuring out what would be the cheapest material we could put into that new row of houses,” he lied. “I’ve got to send in the final estimates tomorrow.” He moved away from the window and seated himself in the Morris chair with Dimmie in his lap. + 

“I can’t imagine what keeps John,” Lucy remarked again. + 

Jim slid Dimmie to the floor. + 

“Don’t you want me to go and hunt him up?” + 

“Why⁠—no‑o. I⁠—” Lucy demurred. “I don’t think⁠—” + 

Just then there was the sound of a key turning in a latch and Dimmie darted forward into the hall shouting, “There’s Papa! There’s Papa!” + 

John left a parcel on the stand with his hat and overcoat and entered the living room. + 

“Why didn’t you tell me that you intended going out, John? I wouldn’t have taken dinner up. I’m afraid it is spoiled,” Lucy said good naturedly as she came forward to meet him. + 

“Oh, you know I⁠—well⁠—” John explained running his fingers through his hair with an embarrassed gesture. + 

“What in the world did you have to buy that couldn’t wait until after dinner?” Lucy walked into the hall and picked up the package which lay beside his hat. + 

“Why, it’s some fruit. I thought it might be nice to have some,” he said lamely, following her to the hat stand. + 

“But there’s plenty of fruit in the house.” + 

Nannie appeared on the stairs. + 

“Why, where have you been, John? We were all looking for you,” she called rather uneasily. + 