started up into active consciousness again, and rushed pellmell
to bed, mindful of her responsibility as a business girl, sleep came very
slowly. And when it came at last, it was a chaotic jumble of excited
dreams and tossings.

The life of the bride and groom in the nest beneath Eveley's Cloud Cote
had progressed so sweetly and smoothly that Eveley had come to feel it
was quite a friendly dispensation of Providence that permitted her to
live one story up from Honeymooning. So the next morning, in the midst of
the confusion that came from dressing and getting her breakfast and
reading motor ads in the morning paper at the same time, she was utterly
electrified to hear a sudden sharp cry of anguish from little Mrs. Bride
beneath--a cry accompanied by sounds caused by nothing in the world but a
passionate and hysterical pounding of small but violent feet upon the
floor.

"Oooooh, oooooh, don't talk to me, Dody, I can't bear it. I can't, I
can't. Ooooh, I wish I were dead. Go away, go away this instant and let
me die. Oh, I shall run away, I shall kill myself! Oooooh!"

"Dearie, sweetie, don't," begged Mr. Groom distractedly. "Lovie,
precious, please." And his voice faded off into tender inarticulate
whispers.

For a long second Eveley was speechless. Then she said aloud, very
grimly, "Hum. It has begun. I suppose I may look for flat-irons and
rolling-pins next. Hereafter they are Mr. and Mrs. Ordinary Married
People."

After long and patient, demonstrative pleading on his part, Mrs. Severs
was evidently restored to a semblance of reason and content, and quiet
reigned for a while until the slam of the door indicated that Mr. Severs
had heeded the call of business.

Almost immediately there came a quick creaking of the rustic stairs and a
light tap on Eveley's window.

"Come in," she called pleasantly. "I sort of expected you. You will
excuse me, won't you, for not getting up, but I have only fifteen minutes
to finish my breakfast and catch the car."

"You are awfully businesslike, aren't you?" asked Mrs. Severs admiringly.
"Yes, I will have a cup of coffee, thanks. I need all the stimulation I
can get."

She was pale, and her eyes were red-rimmed, Eveley noted commiseratingly.

"We are expecting an addition to our family this afternoon, Miss
Ainsworth," she began, her chin quivering childishly.

"Mercy!" gasped Eveley.

"Our father-in-law," added Mrs. Severs quickly. "Dody's father. He is
coming to live wi