body you see that mother had
bought one of these sixty-horse-power, steam-hammer piano-players and
you were the engineer, running it a lot to while away the lonesome
months?"

"Do you want to intimate, sir," demanded Mary with mock hauteur, "that
my playing sounds like a--"

"What I want to intimate, madam, is that I'd like to avoid having our
happy home raided by the police. Matilda, you could do that, couldn't
you--just casually?"

"Yes--M--Mr. Jack," mumbled Mrs. De Peyster.

"There, everything's settled. We'll go up to our rooms. You wouldn't
mind helping us a bit, Matilda?"

Mrs. De Peyster had one supreme thought. If they went upstairs, they
might run into the other Matilda. The frantic, drowning impulse to put
off disaster every possible moment caused her to clutch Jack's arm.

"There's--something to eat--in the dining-room. Perhaps you'd like--"

"Great idea, Matilda! Lead on."

Mrs. De Peyster gave thanks that all the lights but one had been
switched off. And fortunately the light from that one shaded bulb was
almost lost in the great dining-room. Subconsciously Mrs. De Peyster
recalled Matilda's injunction to "be humble," and she let her manner
slump--though at that moment she had no particular excess of dignity
to discard.

Jack sighted the food Matilda had left upon the table. With a swoop he
was upon it.

"Oh, joy! Squabs! Asparagus!" And he seized a squab by the legs, with
a hand that was still bandaged. "Here you are, my dear," tearing off a
leg and handing it to Mary, who accepted it gingerly. With much gusto
Jack took a bite of bird and a huge bite of bread. "Great little
wedding supper, Matilda! Thanks. But I say, Matilda, you haven't yet
spoken up about _meine liebe Frau_. Don't you think she'll do?"

"Now, Jack dear, don't be a fool!"

"Mrs. Jack de Peyster, I'll have you understand your husband can't be
a fool! Come now, Matilda,--my bonny bride, look at her. Better lift
your veil."

Mrs. De Peyster did not lift her veil. But helplessly she gave a
glance toward this new wife Jack had thus brought home: a glance so
distracted that it could see nothing but vibrating blurs.

"Well? Well?" prompted Jack. "Won't she do?"

"Yes," in a husky whisper.

"And don't you think, when mother sees her, she'll say the same?"

"I'm sure--I'm sure--" her choking voice could get out no more.

"Oh, but I shall be so afraid!" cried Mary, again with that shivery
little laugh.

"Nothing to be afr