on, her eyes beginning again to
rove the room. "Fuss, of course, and lots of trouble, but you forget all
that! Yes, I love children myself, used to be the most devoted mother
alive, puttin' 'em to bed, and all that, yes, indeed!"

"You had two?" Julia hazarded. The dowager gave her a surprised glance.

"I, me dear? I had five--Rose there, that's Mrs. St. John, and Kate, you
know her? Mrs. Willis, and my boy that's in Canada now, and the boy I
lost, and Lillian--Lily we called her, she was only three. Diphtheria."

"Oh!" Julia said, shocked.

"Yes, indeed, I thought it would break Colonel Thayer's heart," pursued
Mrs. Thayer, fanning regally, and watching the room. "She was the
first--Lily would be nearly forty now! Look, Julia, who is that with
Isabel Wallace? Who? Oh, yes, Mary Chauncey. See if you can see her
husband anywhere. I'd give a good deal to know if she came with him!"

"Mrs. Thayer," said Julia presently, "how long have you been coming to
the Brownings?"

"I? Oh, since they were started, child. There was a little group of us
that used to dance round at each other's houses, then some of the men
got together and formed a little club--Brownie was one of them. The
Saunders used to come. Ella was about eighteen, and Sally and Anna
Toland, and the Harts, and the Kirkwoods. Who's that with young Brice,
Julia, me dear? Peter Coleman, is it?"

"Talking to Mr. Carter, yes, that's Mr. Coleman. He's a beautiful
dancer," said Julia.

"Peter is? Yes, well, then, why don't you--But you're not dancing, of
course," Mrs. Thayer said. "There's Gordon Jones and his wife! Why
Brownie ever let them in I don't--Ah, Ella, how are you, dear?"

"Fine, thank you!" said the newcomer, a magnificent woman of perhaps
forty, in a very beautiful gown. "How do you do, Mrs. Studdiford?" she
added cordially, as she sat down. "Dancing, surely?"

"Now she's got the best reason in the world for not dancing," said old
Mrs. Thayer, with a protective motion of her fan.

"Oh--so?" Miss Saunders said, after a quick look of interrogation.
"Well, that's--dutiful, isn't it?" She raised her eyebrows, made a
little grimace, and laughed.

"Now, Ella, don't ye say anything wicked!" Mrs. Thayer warned her, and
the fan was used to tap Miss Saunders sharply on her smooth, big arm.

"Wicked!" Miss Saunders said negligently, watching the dancers, "I think
it's fine. I always said I'd have ten. Is Jim pleased?"

"He's perfectly delighted--yes," Ju