"It's a man from home," said Vera. "Home?" queried Mannie.

"From up the State," explained Vera, "from Geneva. It's--Mr. Winthrop."

With an exclamation of alarm, Mannie started upright. "Winthrop!" he
cried; then with a laugh of relief he sank back. "Gee! You give me a
scare," he cried. "I thought you meant the District Attorney."

Mabel laughed sympathetically.

"I thought so too," she admitted.

"I do mean the District Attorney," said the girl.

"Vera!" cried Mabel.

"Winthrop--coming here?" demanded Mannie.

"I met him at Mr. Hallowell's this morning," said Vera. "Didn't Paul
tell you?"

"Paul ain't back yet," said Mannie. "I wish he was!" His lower jaw
dropped in dazed bewilderment. "Winthrop--coming here?" he repeated.
"And they're all coming here!" he exclaimed excitedly. "Paul just phoned
me. They've taken Gaylor in with them, and we're all working together
now on some game for tonight. And Winthrop's coming here!" He shook his
head decidedly, importantly. As the only man of the family present, he
felt he must meet this crisis. "Paul won't stand for it!" he declared.

"Well, Paul will just have to stand for it!" retorted Mrs. Vance.

With a murmur of sympathy she crossed to Vera. "I'm not going to see our
Vera disappointed," she announced. "She never sees no company. Vera, if
Mr. Winthrop comes when that bunch is here, I'll show him into the front
parlor."

Vera sat down in front of the piano and let her fingers drop upon the
keys. The look of eagerness and anticipation had left her eyes.

"Oh, I don't know," she said, "that I want to see him--now."

With complete misunderstanding, Mannie demanded truculently, "Why not?"
His loyalty to Vera gave him courage, in her behalf, to face even a
District Attorney. "He doesn't think he's coming here to make trouble
for you, does he?"

Vera shook her head and, bending over the piano, struck a few detached
chords.

"Oh, no," she said consciously; "just to see me--professionally--like
everybody else."

Mabel could no longer withhold her indignation at the obtuseness of the
masculine intellect.

"My gracious, Mannie!" she exclaimed, "can't you understand he's coming
here to make a call on Vera--like a gentleman--not like no District
Attorney."

Mannie precipitately retreated from his position as champion.

"Sure, I understand," he protested.

With the joy that a match-making mother takes in the hunt, Mabel sank
into the plush rocking chair and,