as Mrs. Severs
likes. He is only pretending it is his duty to go, because he thought it
would hurt your feelings if _you_ knew he wanted to leave you. He is just
crazy about both of you, but he is so used to doing every little thing in
his own sweet way. It almost seems your duty fairly to make him go,
because he would be happier."

"I am not one to shirk my duty, Miss Ainsworth. I will sacrifice anything
for my father."

"Of course it will be lonely for you when he goes, but think how happy he
will be following his every desire. I should think you would fairly force
him to be selfish enough to leave you."

"You may be right. He does not care for our way of living, I know, and he
does like messing around. And then, too, it upsets our plans a lot having
him there, but whatever is right for dad, is right for us."

"Then he must certainly have the little shack we saw the other day--he
adored it. You just tell him how lonely you will be, and how you will
miss him, Mr. Severs, and then make him take the little cottage."

Talking it over afterward with Nolan, Eveley admitted regretfully that
she could hardly call this a victory--because Father-in-law only moved to
do his duty, and the children only allowed him to go for the sake of
doing theirs--but since everything worked out right, she was satisfied,
though she alone knew that happiness came to the three because each one
followed his own desire to the exclusion of other considerations.

CHAPTER XI

THE GERM OF DUTY

The case of the Good-Looking Member strained Nolan's patience almost to
the breaking point, but after many days of fruitless chafing, his
forbearance was rewarded.

Eveley invited him to dinner.

"Have you rescued the good-looking one from the loveless sea?" he asked
sarcastically.

"I have sown the good seed," she said amiably.

"I never heard of sowing seeds in a loveless sea," he sneered.

"I have thought up a wonderful scheme. But you will have to help me out.
I always fall back on you in an emergency, don't I?" Eveley's voice was
sweetest honey. "So you must come to dinner."

"Is the Handsome Member to be among those present?"

"Oh, Nolan, this is our party--to talk things over all by ourselves. It
seems such ages since I saw you, and I've been so lonesome."

Nolan was fully aware that this was fabrication, but being totally male,
he found himself unable to resist.

"You do not know what lonesomeness is, Eveley. I nearly died. I