st won't break away. And I like to tease Steve by
knowing her, Steve is such a bear when he doesn't like people. Rude
is a mild term. He particularly hates Gay. Now Gay is quite a dear and
he always played nicely with me. I should hate to lose him--so how can
I offend his wife; particularly when she takes so well with older
men?"

Aunt Belle sniffed. "Men old enough to be her father--you'd think they
would appreciate mellowed love instead of a selfish little chicken."

The beauty doctor, who had spent the greater share of the day at the
Constantine house, suppressed a smile and stored up the remark for her
next customer.

"Oh, I don't know," Beatrice murmured as she consulted a hand glass.
"I am beginning to wish I had married a man about papa's age. It would
have been much jollier in some ways. Steve is so strenuous and rude. A
cave man is fun to be engaged to and keep a record about in your
chapbook--but when you marry him it is a different matter. I remember
how thrilled and enthusiastic about Steve I used to be when he was
working for papa and living in a hall bedroom. I knew he adored me yet
had to keep his place, and I used to dream about him and wonder if he
really would keep his word and make a fortune so he could marry me.
But now he has done it----" She shrugged her shoulders.

"I wouldn't be too disappointed. Elderly men usually have wheel chairs
and diets after a little, and you'd feel it your duty to play nurse."

"Oh, it's far better to be disappointed in one's husband than one's
friends," Beatrice agreed. "I know that. For you can manage to see
very little of your husband; but your friends--deary me, they your
very existence."

"Does Trudy ever mention the days she worked in Steve's office?"

"Yes. Clever little thing, she knows enough to admit it prettily every
now and then, so there is nothing to badger her about. She has even
trained Gay to talk of it occasionally. She has done wonders for him;
one of the clubmen is backing him to go into the interior-decorating
business. Of course he will make good because everyone will feel
morally obliged to go there. So the Vondeplosshes on the strength of
this have moved to the Touraine, a different sort of apartment house,
I assure you. They are entertaining, if you please; everyone asks them
everywhere. Gay is painting garlands of old-fashioned flowers in
panels for Jill's boudoir. I think I'll have the same thing done in
mine."

"Gay is painting them?