affect you in this
way!"

"All right, then, I'm childish!" Jim said grimly, folding his arms as he
leaned back in his seat.

Julia sighed again. Presently Jim burst out:

"I'm affected by a casual remark, yes, I admit it. But my God, doesn't
it mean anything to you that I have my pride, that when I think of my
wife I want to feel that she is more perfect in every way--in _every_
way--than all the other women in the world?" He stopped, breathing hard,
and resumed, a little less violently: "All I ask is, Julia, that you let
such subjects _alone_. You're not called upon to defend such girls! Surely
that's not too much to ask!"

Julia did not answer; she sat silent and sick. And as Jim did not speak
again, except to mutter "My God!" once or twice, they reached the house
in silence, and separated with a brief "Good-night." Ellie was waiting
for Julia, eager to hear what Miss Jane wore, and Miss Constance wore,
and how "Miss Teddy" looked.

"I am absolutely done, Ellie," said the mistress, when the filmy lace
gown was back in its box, and she was comfortably settled on her
pillows, "so don't come in until I ring."

"And I hope you'll get a long sleep," Ellie said approvingly, "you've
got to take care of yourself now!"

Julia's little daughter was born on a June day in the lovely Ross Valley
house the Studdifords had taken for the summer.

They had moved into the house in April, because Julia's hopes made a
later move unwise, and, delighted to get into the sweet green country so
early in the year, and to have the best of excuses for leading the quiet
life she loved, she bloomed like a rose. She was in splendid health and
in continual good spirits; her exultant confidence indeed lasted until
the very day of the baby's birth.

The day was late, and the pretty nurse, Miss Wheaton, had been in the
house for nearly two weeks before Julia herself came to her door, in the
first pearl dawning to say, still laughingly, that the hour had come. A
swift, well--ordered period of excitement ensued; the maids were silent,
awed, efficient; Miss Wheaton authoritative, crisp, ready with technical
terms; and Jim as nervous and upset as if he were absolutely ignorant of
all things physiological, utterly dependent upon the skill and knowledge
of the nurse, humbly obedient to her will. The telephone rang and rang.
Julia, the centre of this whole thrilling drama, wandered about in her
great plum-coloured silk dressing-gown, commenting ch