“Guess you’re just as moon-struck as I am,” said Jake softly.

And, “I guess I am,” she whispered back.

CHAPTER V

THE VISITOR

Jake carried out his threat the following day, and Maud remained in bed.  A violent headache deprived her of the power to protest, and she lay in her darkened room too battered to think, while with characteristic decision he assumed the direction of the household, provoking unwilling admiration from Mrs. Lovelace, the housekeeper, who was somewhat given to disparage men as “poor things who never did a hand’s turn for ’emselves if they could get the women to do it for ’em.”

He took up a breakfast tray himself to his wife’s room, sternly removing his two small daughters Molly and Betty, whom he found tussling like kittens on her bed, and installing Eileen the eldest, who crept down like a bright-eyed mouse from the big chair by the pillow at his coming, as her mother’s keeper.  Eileen was his darling; a shy child, gentle but curiously determined, protective in her attitude towards Maud, reserved towards himself.  Jake was wont to say with a laugh that he was by no means sure that his eldest daughter approved of him, but he knew in his heart that her love for him was the strongest force in her small being.  Bunny was wont to be impatient with her because she was afraid of the horses, with the result that she would never go near them in his company, but she would follow her father wherever he went among them without a question.  It was very rarely that she confided in him, but she always liked to hold his hand.

She stood beside him now in silence while he waited upon Maud, and presently, while Maud drank the strong tea he had brought her, her small hand found its way into his.  He looked down at her, squeezing it kindly.  “We must take care of the mother today, little ’un.  She’s been working too hard.”

“I’ll take care of her, Daddy,” said Eileen.

“And keep out Molly and Betty,” pursued Jake.

“Yes, Daddy, I’ll do that.”

Maud smiled from her pillows.  “My little policeman!” she said.

“I believe she’d keep her daddy out too if she thought it advisable,” laughed Jake.

Eileen’s fingers tightened about his, but she did not contradict 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.