her more cynical moments.... As soon as she was Mrs. Parker she would
come to an understanding with her husband on this cardinal point and
show him what was decent for a man in his position. Meanwhile she gave
him a few hints of what he might expect.

"I'm afraid," he remarked in his falsetto voice, not unkindly, "you like
to spend money."

"Of course I do! What woman doesn't?" Milly retorted brightly, as she
chucked the bunch of violets she had been wearing out of the cab window
because they were somewhat wilted, and she added warningly, "I hate mean
people!"

He laughed good naturedly.

* * * * *

Their first misunderstanding came over the question where they were to
live after their return from the European trip. It seems that Parker had
already bought land far out on the north shore of the Lake in a new and
promising neighborhood and proposed building a house there. Milly was
ready enough to build: she had large plans for her new home. But she had
set her mind on a lot on the Drive, a block from the Bowman place and
two from the Gilberts--"the most desirable site in the city, every one
says," she explained, "and so near all our friends."

Parker tried to make her understand that fifty thousand dollars was
altogether too much money to put into an "unproductive investment" like
that.

"You've got the money?" Milly demanded succinctly.

He admitted it reluctantly.

"Then I can't see why we shouldn't have the best."

Milly, who had secret plans of running the great Bowman a social race,
was thoroughly irritated at his obstinacy. They turned from the vacant
lot, which they had been examining for the second time, and walked down
the Drive at odds.

"My property at Lakehurst has twice the frontage and only cost me ten
thousand," the little man of means observed complacently.

"I don't care if it cost only ten dollars," Milly pouted. "It's in the
suburbs."

"The city's growing that way fast."

"It'll reach us when I'm an old woman!"

"Before that I guess...."

She dashed upstairs to her room, leaving her lover to the attentions of
Mrs. Ridge. The old lady approved of Clarence Albert. They discussed
religion together. They had the same Victorian standards and principles
about life. This afternoon he confided to her the real estate trouble
Milly and he had had.

"I'm sure, Clarence, you are quite right, and Milly must learn to be
more reasonable. The air will be so much c