brought with her the breath of
frost, and the winter red was in her cheeks, fading slowly as she sat
down and threw off her wraps. He saw then that she looked older than he
thought and that her elastic figure had settled into matronly lines.

She raised her spotted veil and drew off her gloves.

"I mustn't talk myself out," she was saying lightly, "because Dudley
means to make me bring him to call this evening. I can't induce him to
come by himself--he simply won't. He considers, my mission in life to be
the combined duties of paying his calls and entertaining his
legislators. We had six senators to dinner last night, and we pay six
visits this evening. Come here, Tweedle-dee," to the baby. "Come to your
own Aunt Eugie and give her a kiss."

The child looked at her thoughtfully and shook her head.

"Kith man," she responded shortly.

The swift red rose to Eugenia's face. Nicholas was looking at her, and
her eyes flashed with the old anger at a senseless blush.

"That's right, old lady," said the governor to the child. "Tell her
you'd rather kiss a man every time."

"Of course she had," replied Eugenia half angrily. "She's going to be
her mother all over again."

Juliet laughed her full, soft laugh. "Now, Eugie," she protested gaily,
"my sins are many, but spare me a public confession of them."

"She takes after her aunt," put in Sally frankly. "I always liked men
better, and I think it's unwomanly not to--don't you, governor?"

Nicholas put the child down and rose.

"I'm afraid my womanliness is only skin deep," he returned, "but I
wouldn't give one honest man for all the women since Eve."

"Behold our far-famed gallantry!" exclaimed Sally.

Eugenia looked up, laughing. She had seized upon the child, and he saw
her dark eyes above the solemn blue ones.

"I'm afraid you aren't much of a politician, Governor Burr, if you tell
the truth so roundly," she said. "The first lesson in politics is to lie
and love it; the second lesson is to lie and live it. Oh, we've been in
Congress, Dudley and I."

She moved restlessly, and her colour came and went like a flame that
flickers and revives. He wondered vaguely at her nervous animation--she
had not possessed a nerve in her girlhood--nor had he seen this shifting
restlessness the other night. It did not occur to him that the meeting
with himself was the cause--he knew her too well--but had his presence,
or some greater thing, aroused within, her painful memories o