aris, but she has taken a strange way to show her
gratitude in the last week or so.

"Did you see an almost noisy flirtation she was having with Philippe the
last time we had all of them in to tea? She was not a bit like her
sincere self, the natural, well-bred Elise that we all love so much, but
more like her mother with her smart-set manner and flippant witticisms.
I thought Cousin Sally was a little concerned about her precious
Philippe. Cousin Sally is much more Frenchified in her soul than she
dreams. I believe she is going to control the destiny of her son just as
much as any mother in France."

Mrs. Brown smiled. She had an idea that she knew what Sally Bolling's
plans for her son were: namely, her own Molly Brown. But since Molly
herself had no idea of it, she was the last woman in the world to
suggest it to her. She felt sure of her Molly, sure that no rank or
wealth would influence her in choosing a mate (if choose one she must).
She was confident that Molly liked Professor Green better than any man
she knew, and that Philippe d'Ochte with all his charm and good looks,
wealth and position, did not appeal to her little daughter as did Edwin
Green, the quiet, scholarly professor with no wealth at all. She had
mentioned the professor only casually to her cousin, Sally d'Ochte, as
she did not feel it was incumbent upon her to speak of him as Molly's
lover, since Molly herself did not consider him as one.

As for Philippe's heart, she did not think there was any danger of its
being broken. She had carefully observed her young cousin and could see
no sign of the languishing lover. That young man seemed to find
difficulty in deciding which young lady he considered the most
attractive. Molly was all that was lovely and sweet and delightful; Judy
had a singular charm for him, with her vivacious manner and originality;
Elise O'Brien evidently amused him and interested him greatly; and now a
new star had come on his horizon: Frances Andrews, whom he had met at
the Browns' and found very fascinating, a mixture of American and
French. Philippe had, in truth, met too many charmers in too short a
space of time and they had proved an embarrassment of riches, as it
were.

His Cousin Mildred Brown knew what safety in numbers there was for him,
and hoped he would not come to the conclusion that her Molly was the one
of all others for him. Not that she did not like him. She was very fond
of him and fully appreciated all of th