esisted him, but his manner was not very decided,
and so she quietly persisted. "Genevra, or nothing," until the others
gave up the contest, hoping she would feel differently after a few days'
reflection. But Katy knew she shouldn't; and Helen could not overcome
the exultation with which she saw her little sister put the Camerons to
rout and remain master of the field.

"After all it does not matter," Mrs. Cameron said to her daughters,
when, after Mrs. Wilford had gone, she sat talking of Katy's queer fancy
and her obstinacy in adhering to it. "It does not matter; and on the
whole I had as soon the christening would be postponed until the child
is more presentable than now. It will be prettier by and by, and the
dress will become it better. We can afford to wait."

This heartless view of the case was readily adopted by Juno, while Bell
professed to be terribly shocked at hearing them talk thus of a baptism,
as if it were a mere show and nothing more, wondering if the Savior
thought either of dress or personal appearance when the Hebrew mothers
brought their children to Him. But little did Mrs. Cameron or Juno care
for the baptism except as a display, and as both would be much prouder
of a fine looking child, they were well content to wait until such time
as Katy should incline more favorably to their Margaret or Rose Marie.
To Helen it seemed highly probable that after a private interview with
Wilford Katy would change her mind, and she felt a wickedly agreeable
degree of disappointment when, on the day following the dinner party,
she found her sister even more resolved than ever upon having her own
way. Like the Camerons, she did not feel the necessity of haste--time
enough by and by, when she would not have so much opposition to
encounter, she said; and as Wilford did not care, it was finally
arranged that they would wait a while, ere they gave a cognomen to
the little nameless child, only known as Baby Cameron.

CHAPTER XXV.

TROUBLE IN THE HOUSEHOLD.

As soon as it was understood that Mrs. Wilford Cameron was able to go
out, there were scores of pressing invitations from the gay world which
had missed her so much, but Katy declined them all on the plea that baby
needed her care. She was happier at home, and as a mother it was her
place to stay there. At first Wilford listened quietly, but when he
found it was her fixed determination to abjure society entirely, he
interfered in his cool, decisive way, w