oman's place was in the home whether or
not there was a home in which to have a place. Then the new Father, the
adventurer, declared, "I think it's mighty fine, Mother. Mighty fine. If
it won't be too hard on you."

"I'm going to take you to dinner to-night, instead of you taking me.
That is, if you'll lend me a dollar!"

Laughing till they nearly cried, with Father shamelessly squeezing her
arm on public thoroughfares, they again plunged into the Roman pleasures
of the little tinsel restaurant. And like two lovers, like the
telephone-girl in your office and the clerk next door, they made an
engagement to meet at noon, next day, in a restaurant half-way between
Regalberg's and Father's store.

When she came breathlessly into that beef-stew and paper-napkin
restaurant at noon, Mother already had something of the busy,
unself-conscious look of the woman who can compete with men. Her cheeks
were flushed with walking. Her eyes were young. She glanced about the
room, found Father, smiled quickly, and proceeded to order her own lunch
in a business-like way.

"They told me to be back in half an hour," she said, "but I don't mind a
bit. It's been nice all morning. This is the first time in my life I
ever did have all the children to talk to that I wanted. And the sweet
toys! Think of me gadding around like this, and enjoying it! I swear to
goodness I don't know myself. And what do you think I'm going to do if
either of us gets a raise? I'm going to buy you an overcoat!"

Father felt that he didn't know her, either. She did most of the talking
at lunch, and hurried cheerfully back to her job, while Father plodded
wearily away, speculating as to whether he could keep bustling on tired,
stinging feet till six, like the younger holiday help with whom he was
in competition.

He couldn't seem to please the assistant buyer of the department at all,
that afternoon, though in his eager way he tried to be the perfect
salesman.

On Saturday morning there was a little note for him in which the
superintendent was obsequiously Father's servant, and humbly informed
Father that his services wouldn't be needed after that day. Would he, if
it was quite convenient, call for his pay the following Tuesday, and not
fail to turn in his locker-key before leaving the establishment?

The assistant buyer came around and unhappily told Father that they were
letting him go because the department was overstocked with younger,
liver men. "I'm might