the things that Oliver and
the children might need. Her hair had been hastily coiled around her
head, without so much as a glance in the mirror, but the expression of
unselfish goodness in her face lent a charm even to the careless fashion
in which she had put on her clothes. She was one of those women whose
beauty, being essentially virginal, belongs, like the blush of the rose,
to a particular season. The delicacy of her skin invited the mark of
time or of anxiety, and already fine little lines were visible, in the
strong light of the morning, at the corners of her eyes and mouth. Yet
neither the years or her physical neglect of herself could destroy the
look of almost angelic sweetness and love which illumined her features.

"Are you obliged to go to New York next week, Oliver?" she asked,
dividing her attention equally between him and Harry's knife and fork.
"Can't they rehearse 'The Beaten Road' just as well without you?"

"No, I want to be there. Is there any reason why I shouldn't?"

"Of course not. I was only thinking that Harry's birthday comes on
Friday, and we should miss you."

"Well, I'm awfully sorry, but he'll have to grow old without me. By the
way, why can't you run on with me for the first night, Virginia? Your
mother can look after the babies for a couple of days, can't she?"

But the absent-minded look of young motherhood had settled again on
Virginia's face, for the voice of Jenny, raised in exasperated demand,
was heard from the nursery above.

"I wonder what's the matter?" she said, half rising in her chair, while
she glanced nervously at the door. "She was so fretful last night,
Oliver, that I'm afraid she is going to be sick. Will you keep an eye on
Harry while I run up and see?"

Ten minutes later she came down again, and began, with a relieved
manner, to stir her cold coffee.

"What were you saying, Oliver?" she inquired so sweetly that his
irritation vanished.

"I was just asking you if you couldn't let your mother look after the
youngsters for a day or two and come on with me."

"Oh, I'd give anything in the world to see it, but I couldn't possibly
leave the children. I'd be so terribly anxious for fear something would
happen."

"Sometimes I get in a blue funk about that play," he said seriously.
"I've staked so much on it that I'll be pretty well cut up, morally and
financially, if it doesn't go."

"But of course it will go, Oliver. Anybody could tell that just to read
it. Di