e just as bad. You see their silly faces everywhere."

"That's like you women," he answered with a smile. "You pretend to be
superior; and then you copy us."

She laughed. But the next moment she was serious.

"No, we don't," she said, "not those of us who think. We know we shall
never oust man from his place. He will always be the greater. We want
to help him; that's all."

"But wasn't that the Lord's idea," he said; "when He gave Eve to Adam to
be his helpmeet?"

"Yes, that was all right," she answered. "He fashioned Eve for Adam and
saw that Adam got her. The ideal marriage might have been the ideal
solution. If the Lord had intended that, he should have kept the match-
making in His own hands: not have left it to man. Somewhere in Athens
there must have been the helpmeet God had made for Socrates. When they
met, it was Xanthippe that she kissed."

A servant brought the coffee and went out again. Her father lighted a
cigar and handed her the cigarettes.

"Will it shock you, Dad?" she asked.

"Rather late in the day for you to worry yourself about that, isn't it?"
he answered with a smile.

He struck a match and held it for her. Joan sat with her elbows on the
table and smoked in silence. She was thinking.

Why had he never "brought her up," never exacted obedience from her,
never even tried to influence her? It could not have been mere weakness.
She stole a sidelong glance at the tired, lined face with its steel-blue
eyes. She had never seen them other than calm, but they must have been
able to flash. Why had he always been so just and kind and patient with
her? Why had he never scolded her and bullied her and teased her? Why
had he let her go away, leaving him lonely in his empty, voiceless house?
Why had he never made any claim upon her? The idea came to her as an
inspiration. At least, it would ease her conscience. "Why don't you let
Arthur live here," she said, "instead of going back to his lodgings? It
would be company for you."

He did not answer for some time. She had begun to wonder if he had
heard.

"What do you think of him?" he said, without looking at her.

"Oh, he's quite a nice lad," she answered.

It was some while again before he spoke. "He will be the last of the
Allways," he said. "I should like to think of the name being continued;
and he's a good business man, in spite of his dreaminess. Perhaps he
would get on better with the men."

She seized at the