, and with that she
turned quickly, and came to sit near her mother. "But it's what I am
afraid of! Mama, did you notice how red he got?"

"You mean when he was caught not listening to a question of mine? Yes;
it's very becoming to him."

"Mama, I don't think that was the reason. I don't think it was because
he wasn't listening, I mean."

"No?"

"I think his colour and his not listening came from the same reason,"
Mildred said, and although she had come to sit near her mother, she
did not look at her. "I think it happened because you and papa----" She
stopped.

"Yes?" Mrs. Palmer said, good-naturedly, to prompt her. "Your father and
I did something embarrassing?"

"Mama, it was because of those things that came out about Alice Adams."

"How could that bother Arthur? Does he know her?"

"Don't you remember?" the daughter asked. "The day after my dance I
mentioned how odd I thought it was in him--I was a little disappointed
in him. I'd been seeing that he met everybody, of course, but she was
the only girl HE asked to meet; and he did it as soon as he noticed her.
I hadn't meant to have him meet her--in fact, I was rather sorry I'd
felt I had to ask her, because she oh, well, she's the sort that 'tries
for the new man,' if she has half a chance; and sometimes they seem
quite fascinated--for a time, that is. I thought Arthur was above
all that; or at the very least I gave him credit for being too
sophisticated."

"I see," Mrs. Palmer said, thoughtfully. "I remember now that you spoke
of it. You said it seemed a little peculiar, but of course it really
wasn't: a 'new man' has nothing to go by, except his own first
impressions. You can't blame poor Arthur--she's quite a piquant looking
little person. You think he's seen something of her since then?"

Mildred nodded slowly. "I never dreamed such a thing till yesterday,
and even then I rather doubted it--till he got so red, just now! I was
surprised when he asked to meet her, but he just danced with her once
and didn't mention her afterward; I forgot all about it--in fact, I
virtually forgot all about HER. I'd seen quite a little of her----"

"Yes," said Mrs. Palmer. "She did keep coming here!"

"But I'd just about decided that it really wouldn't do," Mildred went
on. "She isn't--well, I didn't admire her."

"No," her mother assented, and evidently followed a direct connection
of thought in a speech apparently irrelevant. "I understand the young
Malone wants t