he's only a woman, and she won't understand.' But I showed him
I was serious, and he asked me huskily, 'Suppose it was winter, Aunt
Deborah, and the Giants were in Texas. Do you think I could get a few days
off?' And then before he could tell me the Giants were a baseball nine, I
said I was sure he could manage it. You should have seen his face light up.
And he added very fervently, 'Gee, it must be wonderful to be an engineer
out there!'"

Roger chuckled delightedly and Deborah went on with her work. "How good she
is with young uns," he thought. "What a knack she has of drawing 'em out.
What a pity she hasn't some of her own."

He slept until late the next morning, and awoke to find Deborah by his bed.

"It's another boy," she told him. Roger sat up excitedly. "Bruce has just
telephoned the news. The children and I have breakfasted, and they're going
out with their nurse. Suppose you and I go up and see Bruce and settle this
trip to the mountains."

About an hour later, arriving at Edith's apartment, they found Bruce
downstairs with Allan Baird who was just taking his departure. Bruce's dark
eyes shone with relief, but his hand was hot and nervous. Allan, on the
contrary, held out to Edith's father a hand as steady and relaxed as was
the bantering tone of his voice.

"Bruce," he said, "has for once in his life decided to do something
sensible. He's going to drop his wretched job and take a week off with his
children."

"And worry every minute he's gone," Deborah retorted, "and come back and
work day and night to catch up. But he isn't going to do it. I've decided
to take the children myself."

"You have?" cried Bruce delightedly.

"You'll do no such thing," said Allan, indignant.

"Oh, you go to thunder," Bruce put in. "Haven't you any delicacy? Can't you
see this is no business of yours?"

"It isn't, eh," Allan sternly rejoined. And of Deborah he demanded, "Didn't
you say you'd go with me to 'Pinafore' this Saturday night?"

"Ah," sneered Bruce. "So that's your game. And for one little night of your
pleasure you'd do me out of a week of my life!"

"Like that," said Baird, with a snap of his fingers.

"I'm going, though," said Deborah.

"Quite right, little woman," Bruce admonished her earnestly. "Don't let him
rob you of your happiness."

"Come here," growled Baird to Deborah. She followed him into the living
room, and Roger went upstairs with Bruce.

"If he ever hopes to marry that girl," said Bruc