ess--her head ached
whenever he ventured to explain it. She never had to listen to
anything to which she did not wish to listen; the only rule imposed
upon her was that of becoming the most gorgeous girl in Hanover, and
this rule she had obeyed.

"Tired?" he asked, timidly.

"Dead. It's terrible, papa. I don't know how I'll stay bucked up. I
want to burst out crying every time a bell rings or any one speaks to
me.... Oh, Jody, your fingers are all thumbs! Please try it again."

"It looks nice," her father ventured, indicating the puff of gold
hair.

Beatrice did not answer; she sighed and had Johanna proceed.

"The Harkin detectives will watch the presents," her father ventured
again. "There are some more packages downstairs."

"I'm tired of presents; I want to be through unwrapping crystal vases
and gold-lined fruit dishes and silly book ends and having to write
notes of thanks when I hate the gifts. My mind seems quivering little
wires that won't let me have a moment's rest." She took another piece
of candy.

"When I married your mother," her father remarked, softly, evidently
forgetting Johanna's presence, "we walked to a minister's house in
Gardenville about five miles south of here. Your mother was working
for a farmer's wife and she didn't say she was going to be married.
She was afraid they might try talking her out of it--you know how
women do." He looked round the elegant little room. "I was getting ten
dollars a week--that seemed big money in those days. I rented two
rooms in the rear cottage of a house on Ontario Street--it's torn down
now. And I bought some second-hand stuff to furnish it."

He paced up and down; he had a habit of so doing since he was always
whisked about in his motor car and he feared growing stiff if he did
not exercise.

"But your mother liked the rooms--and the things. I remember I bought
a combination chair and stepladder for a dollar and it didn't work."
He gave a chuckle. "It stayed in a sort of betwixt and between
position, about one third stepladder and about two thirds chair, and
that worried me a lot. A dollar meant a good deal then. But your
mother knew what to do with it, she used it for kindling wood and said
we'd charge it up to experience. Yes, sir, we walked to the
minister's--she wore a blue-print dress with a little pink sprig in
it, and a sort of a bonnet." His hand made an awkward descriptive
gesture.

"The minister was mighty nice--he took us into his gar