him.
Only the violet eyes so like her mother's looked up at him very
pleadingly, and he stooped in a moment and kissed her.

"All right. Daddy understands."

And Eileen smiled a shy, pleased smile without words.

The sound of the telephone-bell in the hall made Maud start with a swift
contradiction of the brows.

"That's probably Charlie, Jake, I ought to answer him."

"Don't you worry yourself!" said Jake, turning to the door. "I'll answer
him myself."

He was gone before she could say anything further, moving without haste
but with a decision there was no gainsaying, and Maud heaved a sigh and
relaxed against her pillows. It was certainly a relief to leave it to
him.

He returned a few minutes later, faintly smiling, sat down by her side
and drew Eileen between his knees.

"Well," he said. "I guess it's all fixed up. We're going to give you a
nursery governess, Innocence. I hope you'll treat her with respect."

"Oh, but, Jake--" protested Maud.

He turned to her. "Yes, she's going to make herself useful. I don't
believe in anyone living in idleness. We'll begin as we mean to go
on, and she's got to help. I told his lordship so. If she doesn't
suit,--well, I guess she'll go back where she came from. I told him that
too."

"What did he say?" questioned Maud.

"He agreed of course." Jake's tone was ironical. "Said she was nothing
but a child herself. He was very emphatic on that point."

"Don't you believe him?" asked Maud with a hint of sharpness.

"Not as a rule," said Jake. "Mostly never--when he's emphatic. However,
time will prove. She will be here to lunch, and I've told Bunny to meet
her with the dog-cart."

"Are we going to have lessons?" asked Eileen.

He looked into the soft eyes and the irony went out of his smile. "I
don't know if I can bear to have you taught anything, Innocence," he
said. "You're just right as you are."

It was his own especial name for her and he always uttered it with
tenderness. Eileen smiled up at him, and pressed against his knee.

"I would like to learn some lessons, Daddy," she said. "I'm sure I'm big
enough, and I'm growing too."

"Maybe you are," said Jake. "But don't grow too fast, little 'un! Don't
get so big that you look down on your poor old daddy!"

"She'll never do that!" said Maud quickly. "No child of mine will ever do
that, Jake."

He smiled at her whimsically. "Oh, I guess I'll hold my own among 'em
whatever they do. Now you go to sleep, my g