nary young woman," David said, staring at her.
"I'm glad you broached this subject, if only that I might realize how
extraordinary, but I don't think anything will come of it, my dear. I
don't want you to go to college unless you really want to, but if you
do want to, I hope you will take up the pursuit of learning as a
pursuit and not as a means to an end. Do you hear me, daughter?"

"Yes, Uncle David."

"Then let's have no more of this nonsense of earning your own
living."

"Are you really displeased, Uncle David?"

"I should be if I thought you were serious,--but it's bedtime. If
you're going to get your beauty sleep, my dear, you ought to begin on
it immediately."

Eleanor rose obediently, her brow clouded a little, and her head held
high. David watched the color coming and going in the sweet face and
the tender breast rising and falling with her quickening breath.

"I thought perhaps you would understand," she said. "Good night."

She had always kissed him "good night" until this visit, and he had
refrained from commenting on the omission before, but now he put out
his hand to her.

"Haven't you forgotten something?" he asked. "There is only one way
for a daughter to say good night to her parent."

She put up her face, and as she did so he caught the glint of tears in
her eyes.

"Why, Eleanor, dear," he said, "did you care?" And he kissed her. Then
his lips sought hers again.

With his arms still about her shoulder he stood looking down at her. A
hot tide of crimson made its way slowly to her brow and then receded,
accentuating the clear pallor of her face.

"That was a real kiss, dear," he said slowly. "We mustn't get such
things confused. I won't bother you with talking about it to-night, or
until you are ready. Until then we'll pretend that it didn't happen,
but if the thought of it should ever disturb you the least bit, dear,
you are to remember that the time is coming when I shall have
something to say about it; will you remember?"

"Yes, Uncle David," Eleanor said uncertainly, "but I--I--"

David took her unceremoniously by the shoulders.

"Go now," he said, and she obeyed him without further question.

CHAPTER XVIII

BEULAH'S PROBLEM

Peter was shaving for the evening. His sister was giving a dinner
party for two of her husband's fellow bankers and their wives. After
that they were going to see the latest Belasco production, and from
there to some one of the new dancing "clubs