“I can’t imagine how you were ever mad enough to think of it,” she said, “but you were.  I give you credit for that.  And just let me tell you that you’ve won a treasure.  Of course, I don’t say you won’t find her difficult now and then, but you mustn’t be too overbearing; give in a bit now and then; ’t won’t hurt you.  Remember she’s got a will of her own, as well as you have.  Don’t try to ride rough-shod—­”

“Oh, we’ve settled all that,” broke in the flapper.  “Haven’t we?”

“We’ve settled all that,” said Bean, grateful for the solid feel of a cup in his fingers.

“Don’t be too domineering, that’s all,” warned the Demon.  “She wouldn’t put up with it.”

“I understand all that,” insisted Bean, resolutely seizing a fork for which he had no use.  “I can look ahead!”

He began hurriedly to eat toast, hoping it would seem that he had more to say but was too hungry to say it.

“I know you,” persisted the Demon.  “Brow-beating, bound to have your own way, and, after all, she’s nothing but a child.”

“I’ll want him to have his own way,” declared the child.  “I’ll see that he just perfectly gets it, too!”

“Give and take, that’s my motto,” he muttered, wondering if more toast would choke him.

“Be a row back there, of course,” said Grandma, “but Julia’s going to marry off the other child after her own heart, and it’s only right for me to have a little say about this one.  You’re a better man than he is.  You have a good situation and he’s just a waster; couldn’t buy his own cigarettes if he had to work for the money, say nothing of his gloves and ties.  Born to riches, born to folly, say I. Still, Julia will fuss just about so much.  Of course, Jim—­”

“Oh, poor old Pops!” The flapper gracefully destroyed him as a factor in the problem.

Bean was feeding toast to Nap, who didn’t choke.

“She always has to come around though when the girl makes up her mind.  I haven’t had that child in my charge for nothing.”

“I have a right to choose the—­” The flapper broke her speech with tea.  “I have the right,” she concluded defiantly.

Bean shuddered.  He recalled the terrific remainder of that speech.

“I thought we better have this little talk,” said Grandma, “and get everything understood.”

“’S the only way to do,” said Bean, wrinkling his forehead, “have everything clear.”

“I had it all perfectly planned out long ago,” said the flapper.  “I don’t want a large place.”

“Lots of trouble,” conceded Bean.  “Something always coming up,” he added knowingly.

“Nice yard,” said the flapper, “plenty of room for flowers and the tennis court, and I’ll do the marketing when I motor in for you.  They won’t let me do it back there,” she concluded with some acrimony; “and they get good and cheated and I’m perfectly glad of it.  Eighteen cents a head for lettuce!  I saw that very thing on a tag yesterday!”