or
that child. She's an angel, isn't she, Helen?"

Helen smiled dubiously.

"An angel, very much spoiled, I fear."

"No such thing," argued Waldstricker, glad of an opportunity to air his
favorite theory. "Now Helen thinks the child's spoiled because she drops
on the floor and kicks and cries until she gets what she wants. I tell
her it's human nature, and perfectly right for my child to have her own
way. Thank God, there's nothing in the world she can't have."

Then looking from Frederick to his sister, he made a heavy attempt to be
humorous.

"What's the matter of you two? You've been married longer than Helen and
I. When are you going to start your family?"

Frederick maintained his pose of bored unconcern and an angry flush
mounted to Madelene's face.

"You think you're smart, Eb," she retorted. "Fred's all the baby I can
look after, and goodness knows he's trouble enough!"

"But, now, you're here, dear," Mrs. Waldstricker extended the olive
branch again, "we'll help you look after him.... I do hope the
weather'll clear so we can get out. The lake's been simply beautiful
this summer."

"Just after I returned from Europe, I tried to dispossess Deforrest,"
Ebenezer told Fred, "but he beat me in court. I wanted to clean up the
scandalous mess. I felt he was breaking God's law in harboring a woman
of that kind. But I'm only biding my time." His voice sank as he cast
his eyes slowly from one to another, at last, fixing them ominously upon
his wife. "Biding my time," he growled deeply, laying his napkin on the
table.

The gloom of his manner spread over the diners like a cloud. Helen's
face expressed consternation; Frederick's discouragement, and Madelene's
impatience.

"I must say this is pleasant," snapped Mrs. Graves. "Ebbie, I forbid you
to speak of those people again tonight."

Helen made a little move as though to rise. In her capacity as
peacemaker, it seemed advisable to change the scene of hostilities.

"Let's go to the drawing room," she invited.... "Fred, don't you think
you'd better go to bed?"

"Yes, I'm all tired out. I think I will."

At the drawing room door, he turned to the stairs.

"Good-night, all," he added, and went slowly up to his room.

Reclining in a big chair, Frederick recalled the talk at the supper
table and let his fancy rove in dreams of Tessibel and his son.

What a cruel persecutor Ebenezer was! How Helen had suffered during his
outrageous harangue! The young man g