a case of the sins of the
parents being visited upon the children--"

He had been speaking half-carelessly, not really heeding what he said,
and he arrested himself with an impatient shrug of the shoulders. The
visitation of a parent's sins upon children was not a subject for
discussion in that household, as Phil realized with a poignancy born of
her morning's adventure. Kirkwood was instantly contrite as he saw tears
in Phil's eyes. He would not for worlds have wounded her. It was
impossible for him to know how in her new sensitiveness this careless
speech, which a day earlier would have passed unheeded, aroused all her
instincts of defense. She was half-aware of the irony by which their
talk about the nephews of Jack Holton had carried them with so fateful a
directness to her mother.

Kirkwood frowned. His former wife was of all subjects the most
ungrateful on this Christmas day. The old wounds had healed absolutely
and the scars even had vanished in his new hope and happiness. He did
not mean to have his day spoiled. He crossed the room to the window
where Phil stood pulling idly at a withered geranium leaf. He drew her
round and kissed her.

"Forgive me, dear old Phil! I wouldn't hurt you for ten thousand
kingdoms. And I didn't mean that. I don't think it; moreover, I don't
believe in that philosophy."

His contrition was unmistakedly sincere; yet she knew that if he had not
obliterated the thought of her mother from his mind he would not have
let slip that reference to parental sins. His forgetfulness was worse
than the offense itself.

She experienced a sensation, new in all their intercourse, of wanting to
hurt him. This was, in all kindness and charity, the instant for
announcing her mother's return; and yet before making that disclosure
Phil meant to force him to tell her in so many words that he was engaged
to marry Nan. This was the most astonishing of all Phil's crowding
experiences of the day, that she harbored with cruel satisfaction the
thought of inflicting pain upon her father--her old comrade, with whom
she had so joyfully camped and tramped and lived so many happy days in
this little house, where now for the first time shadows danced
malevolently.

"I wanted this to be a happy day, Phil. What do we care about the
Holtons or Sycamore Traction! Charlie and Fred are all right, and I must
say that I've been a good deal pleased by the attitude of both the young
fellows. But I have something to tel