n
his way east to see his people and also to look after the interests of a
fruit-growers' association in the matter of a railroad rate on lemons.
He seemed very much alive. The blow had probably done him good, Milly
concluded,--had waked him up.

There were a few hours between his trains, he explained to Milly, and so
he had wandered over to the park to watch the aeroplanes, which were the
first of the bird machines he had ever seen. It was almost time now for
him to leave. But he lost that Washington train. For he walked home with
Milly to see her little girl, stayed to luncheon, and was still at the
house telling Virginia about real oranges on real orange trees when
Ernestine came in. She was hot and tired, evidently much disturbed, and
more than usually short with Milly's guest. Duncan left soon afterwards,
and then Milly asked,--

"What's the matter, Ernestine?"

"I'd think you'd know!... If we can't get a cook, we might as well shut
up the shop to-morrow."

Milly had forgotten all about the loss of the pastry-cook and the
business in her surprise at meeting Edgar Duncan again and all the
memories he had revived.

"All right!" she said promptly. "Do it."

"Give up the business?" Ernestine asked in amazement. She could not
believe Milly meant to take her testy remark seriously. What had come
over Milly!

"We might try it in Pasadena," Milly remarked after a time. "There are a
lot of rich people out there."

This went beyond the bounds of Ernestine's patience.

"Pasadena!... Last time it was Palm Beach, and before that it was
Newport. What's the matter with staying right here and making good?"

Milly did not reply. Ernestine's pent-up irritation overflowed still
more.

"You ain't any business woman, Milly!"

"I never said I was."

"You always want to get in some society work--social pull! Rich folks!"
Ernestine groaned with disgust. "That kind of furor don't last. They're
too flighty in their notions."

"Like me," Milly interposed bitterly.

"Well, it ain't business to quit."

"Oh, business!" Milly exclaimed disgustedly. She felt like an artist
whose great work has been scorned by the philistines.

"Yes, business!" Ernestine asserted hotly. "If you're going into
business, you've got to play the game and play it _hard_ all the time,
too. Or you'd better marry and do the other thing."

"Perhaps I'll marry," Milly retorted with an enigmatical smile.

Ernestine stared at her agape. Was that what