“Great!  That box train you drew up will float down the aisle after her like a white cobweb.  It’s a knock-out.”

“Say, won’t I be glad to get back in harness!”

“You got to take it slow, Mil.”

“And ain’t you glad it’s all over, Phonzie?”

“Am I!”

“Four weeks old to-morrow, and Ida May was over to-day and says she never seen a kid so big for his age.”

“He takes after my grandfather—­he was six feet two without shoes.”

“You ought to seen him to-day laying next to me, Phonzie.  He looked up and squinted, dear, for all the world like you.”

A bell tinkled.  In the frame of a double doorway a seventeen-year-old maid drew back the portieres on brass rings that grated.  In the room adjoining and beneath a lighted dome of colored glass a table lay spread, uncovered dishes exuding fragrant spirals of steam.

“Supper!  Say, ain’t it great to have you back at the table again, Mil?”

“Oh, I don’t know, the way—­the way you went hiking off last night to—­to a ball.”

“Aw, now, hon, ’ain’t you got that out of your system yet?  For a girlie with all your good sense, if you ain’t the greatest little one to get a silly gix and work it to death.”

“I just made a civil remark.”

“What was the use wasting that ten-dollar pair of tickets the guy from Carson City gave her, when we could use them and get some tips on some of the imports the women wore?”

“I never said to waste them.”

“You know it don’t hurt to get around and see what’s being worn, hon.  That’s our business.”

Tears of weakness welled to her eyes and she stooped over her plate to conceal them.

“I’m not saying anything, am I?  Only—­only it’s right lucky she can fill my place so—­so well while I—­I got to be away awhile.”

Her barbed comment only pricked him to happy thought.  He made a quick foray into his side pocket.  “I brought up one of these pink velvet roses for you to look at, Mil.  It’s Gert’s idea to festoon these underneath the net tunic on McGrath’s blue taffeta.  See, like that.  It’s a neat little idea, hon, and Gert had these roses made up in shaded effects like this one.  How you like it?”

The tiny bud lay on the table between them, nor did she take it up.

“All right.”

He leaned to pat her cheek.  “These are swell potatoes, hon.”

Her lips warmed and opened.  “I—­I told her how to make ’em.”

“Give me some more.”

She in turn leaned to press his hand.  “Such a hungry boy.”

“Can I take a peek at the kid before—­”

“Aw, Phonzie, and wake him up like you did last night.  He’ll sleep straight through now till half past twelve; that’s why I didn’t even tiptoe back in the bedroom myself.  The doctor says the first half of the night is his best sleep; let him sleep till half past twelve, dear.”