ndle-backed chair, reading. Across a space broken only by a
painting, a Japanese print or so, and more spindle-backed chairs,
Eleanor and Kate had grouped themselves by the piano. Eleanor, turning
the leaves on the music-rack, looked over her shoulder at him. She was
in pink that day; the tint of her gown, blending into the tint of her
fresh skin, contrasted magically with the subdued background. Kate,
all in white, sat on a hassock pulling a volume from the low book
shelf. All this came upon Bertram with a soothing sense which he did
not understand in that stage of his development, did not even
formulate.

Kate, tripping across the rugs with a lightness which perfectly
balanced her weight, greeted him first; Eleanor and Judge Tiffany
shook hands with more reserve. And as Bertram settled himself in an
arm-chair before the fire, it was the ready Kate who put him at his
ease by opening fire of conversation.

"Did I tell you, Mrs. Tiffany, about the restaurant which Mr. Chester
found for us last night? such an evening he gave us! Mr. Chester, who
is Madame Loisel--you should have seen her, Judge Tiffany--you'd never
dine at home again. When these young charms fade, I'm going to marry a
French restaurant-keeper and play hostess to the multitude and be just
plump and precious like her. How can you ever get past the counter
with her behind it, Mr. Chester?"

"I'm generally hungry--that's how!" said Bertram Chester.

"That's man for you!" responded Kate. "Judge beloved, if you were a
young man and Eleanor--I'm too modest to mention myself, you see--were
what she'll be at forty, and she were behind a counter, and you before
it, would hunger tear you away? Oh dear, it's such a bore to keep
one's grammar straight!"

"I ask my wife's permission before giving the answer which is in my
heart," said Judge Tiffany.

Eleanor broke into the laugh which followed.

"But I would like to know about Madame Loisel."

"Well, she's certainly a ripe pippin; you've seen that," answered
Bertram, his smile on Eleanor. "And I'd like to know what she's saying
when she parleys French to the garcons. She's all right if she's
feeling right, but I've seen her tear the place up when the service
went bad. I guess she's a square and a pretty good fellow!"

"Tell us more about her--" this from Eleanor.

"About her squareness? Well, there was the time Gentle Willie Purdy
got drunk. We call him Gentle Willie because he isn't, you know. About
three