n any one she chooses. But I was annoyed with her this morning,
and I fear that I showed it."

"And what happened this morning?"

"She asked if she could pray for her 'new father'--for the Italian!"

"Did you let her?"

"I got up without saying anything."

"You must have felt just as you did when I wanted to pray for the
devil."

"He is the devil," cried Harriet.

"No, Harriet; he is too vulgar."

"I will thank you not to scoff against religion!" was Harriet's retort.
"Think of that poor baby. Irma is right to pray for him. What an
entrance into life for an English child!"

"My dear sister, I can reassure you. Firstly, the beastly baby is
Italian. Secondly, it was promptly christened at Santa Deodata's, and a
powerful combination of saints watch over--"

"Don't, dear. And, Harriet, don't be so serious--I mean not so serious
when you are with Irma. She will be worse than ever if she thinks we
have something to hide."

Harriet's conscience could be quite as tiresome as Philip's
unconventionality. Mrs. Herriton soon made it easy for her daughter to
go for six weeks to the Tirol. Then she and Philip began to grapple with
Irma alone.

Just as they had got things a little quiet the beastly baby sent another
picture post-card--a comic one, not particularly proper. Irma received
it while they were out, and all the trouble began again.

"I cannot think," said Mrs. Herriton, "what his motive is in sending
them."

Two years before, Philip would have said that the motive was to give
pleasure. Now he, like his mother, tried to think of something sinister
and subtle.

"Do you suppose that he guesses the situation--how anxious we are to
hush the scandal up?"

"That is quite possible. He knows that Irma will worry us about the
baby. Perhaps he hopes that we shall adopt it to quiet her."

"Hopeful indeed."

"At the same time he has the chance of corrupting the child's morals."
She unlocked a drawer, took out the post-card, and regarded it gravely.
"He entreats her to send the baby one," was her next remark.

"She might do it too!"

"I told her not to; but we must watch her carefully, without, of course,
appearing to be suspicious."

Philip was getting to enjoy his mother's diplomacy. He did not think of
his own morals and behaviour any more.

"Who's to watch her at school, though? She may bubble out any moment."

"We can but trust to our influence," said Mrs. Herriton.

Irma did bubble out, that very day