! It's none of my business, of course, and I'm not going to
interfere, but all I can say is THIS, if Martie Monroe plays fast and
loose with a man like Cliff Frost, it will hurt us in this village more
than she has ANY idea! What are people going to think, that's all! I
certainly hope you will use your authority to bring her to her
senses--just a few days before the wedding, with everybody expecting--"

"Perhaps you will tell me what Clifford thinks of this astonishing
decision?" Malcolm asked, again interrupting Lydia's wild rush of words.

"Cliff was very generous, Pa. He feels that it is only a passing
feeling, and that I must have time to think things over if I want it,"
Martie began.

"Ha! I should think so!" Lydia interpolated scornfully.

"At first he was inclined to laugh about it, and to think that it was
nothing," Martie said almost timidly, glancing from one to the other,
and keeping one hand over Teddy's hand.

"What makes you feel that you HAVEN'T given the thing due
consideration, Martie?" her father asked darkly, with the air of
humouring a child's fantastic whims.

"Yes! You've been engaged for months!" Lydia shot in.

"Well, it's only lately, Pa," Martie confessed mildly.

"Exactly! Since somebody came along to upset you!" said Lydia. "All I
can say is, that I think it would break Ma's heart!" she added
violently. "You give up a fine man like Cliff Frost, and now I suppose
we'll have some of your divorced friends hanging about--"

"Lyd, dear, don't be so bitter," Martie said gently, almost maternally.
"Mr. Dryden has gone off for a long tour; he may not be back for years.
What I plan to do now is go to New York. I told Cliff that--that I
wanted to go."

"May I ask how you intend to live there?" Malcolm asked, with
magnificent and obvious restraint.

"By writing, Pa."

"You plan to take your child, and reenter--"

"I think I would leave Teddy, Pa, for a while at least." They had all
left the table now, and gone into the parlour, and Martie, sinking into
a chair, rested her chin on her hand, and looked bravely yet a trifle
uncomfortably at her interlocutors. Teddy had dashed out into the yard.

"Now, I think we have heard about enough of this nonsense, Martie,"
said her father, in a changed and hostile tone. Lydia gave a satisfied
nod; Pa was taking a stand at last. "You didn't have to say that you
would marry Clifford," he went on sternly. "You did so as a responsible
woman, of your own