hich always carried its point.

"It was foolish to take that stand," he said. "Other mothers went and
why should not she? She had already stayed in too much. She was injuring
herself, and"--what was infinitely worse to Wilford--"she was losing her
good looks."

As proof of this he led her to the glass, showing her the pale, thin
face and unnaturally large eyes, so distasteful to him. Wilford Cameron
was very proud of his handsome house, proud to know that everything
there was in keeping with his position and wealth, but when Katy was
immured in the nursery, the bright picture was obscured, for it needed
her presence to make it perfect, and he began to grow dissatisfied with
his surroundings, while abroad he missed her quite as much, finding the
opera, the party or the reception insipid where she was not, and feeling
fully conscious that Wilford Cameron, without a wife, and that wife
Katy, was not a man of half the consequence he had thought himself to
be. Even Sybil Grandon did not think it worth her while to court his
attention, especially if Katy were not present, for unless some one saw
and felt her triumph it ceased directly to be one. On the whole Wilford
was not well pleased with society, as he found it this winter, and
knowing where the trouble lay he resolved that Katy should no longer
remain at home, growing pale and faded and losing her good looks.
Wilford would not have confessed it, and perhaps was not himself aware
of the fact, that Katy's beauty was quite as dear to him as Katy
herself. If she lost it her value was decreased accordingly, and so as
a prudent husband it behooved him to see that what was so very precious
was not unnecessarily thrown away. It did not take long for Katy to
understand that her days of quiet were at an end, that neither crib nor
cradle could avail her longer. Mrs. Kirby, selected from a host of
applicants, was wholly competent for Baby Cameron, and Katy must throw
aside the mother which sat so prettily upon her and become again the
belle. It was a sad trial, but Katy knew that submission was the only
alternative, and so when Mrs. Banker's invitation came, she accepted it
at once, but there was a sad look upon her face as she kissed her baby
for the twentieth time ere going to her dressing-maid.

Never until this night had Helen realized how beautiful Katy was when in
full evening dress, and her exclamations of delight brought a soft flush
to Katy's cheek, while she felt a thril