ually wish to see my brother
marry a common model?"

"_Is_ she common? I thought you said--"

"You--you annoy me," said Lily; and began to cry.

Stephanie, coming into the nursery that afternoon, found Lily watching
the sleeping children and knitting a tiny sweater. Mrs. Collis was pale,
but her eyes were still red.

"Where have you been, Stephanie?"

"Helping Gordon set hemlocks."

"Where is Louis?"

The girl did not appear to hear the question.

"I thought I heard him telephoning a few minutes ago," added Lily. "Look
over the banisters, dear, and see if he's still there."

"He is," said Stephanie, not stirring.

"Telephoning all this time? Is he talking to somebody in town?"

"I believe so."

Lily suddenly looked up. Stephanie was quietly examining some recently
laundered clothing for the children.

"To whom is Louis talking; do you happen to know?" asked Lily abruptly.

Stephanie's serious gaze encountered hers.

"Does that concern us, Lily?"

After a while, as Mrs. Collis sat in silence working her ivory needles,
a tear or two fell silently upon the little white wool garment on her
lap.

And presently Stephanie went over and touched her forehead with gentle
lips; but Lily did not look up--could not--and her fingers and ivory
needles flew the faster.

"Do you know," said Stephanie in a low voice, "that she is a modest,
well-bred, and very beautiful girl?"

"What!" exclaimed Lily, staring at her in grief and amazement. "Of whom
are you speaking, Stephanie?"

"Of Valerie West, dear."

"W-what do you know about her?"

"I have met her."

"_You_!"

"Yes. She came, with that rather common countess, as substitute delegate
for Mrs. Hind-Willet, to a New Idea meeting. I spoke to her, seeing she
was alone and seemed to know nobody; I had no suspicion of who she was
until she told me."

"Mrs. Hind-Willet is a busybody!" said Lily, furious. "Let her fill her
own drawing-room with freaks if it pleases her, but she has no right to
send them abroad among self-respecting people who are too unsuspicious
to protect themselves!"

Stephanie said: "Until one has seen and spoken with Valerie West one can
scarcely understand how a man like your brother could care so much for
her--"

"How do you know Louis cares for her?"

"He told me."

Lily looked into the frank, gray eyes in horror unutterable. The crash
had come. The last feeble hope that her brother might come to his senses
and marry this girl