by accident.
It was not altogether Adele's beauty that caused me to claim her for my
daughter."

"But--" began Beatrice.

"Allow me the privilege of a word, my daughter. The unfortunate mistake
of the picture is largely responsible for this whole affair. I naturally
looked long and often at the photograph, supposing it to be yours.
Seeing her standing in the doorway I recognized the girl whom I supposed
was my daughter. Surely this explanation ought to excuse me, Beatrice?"

"But it was her picture that brought you home, father," wailed Bee
miserably. "You would never have come had it been really mine. Oh, that
is what I can't bear!"

"I seem unfortunate in choosing my words also," said the scientist,
stirring uneasily. "The letters first caused me to think of returning."

"But you would not have come if you had not believed that the beautiful
picture was of your daughter," persisted Bee. "I want the truth,
father."

"I am accustomed to speaking nothing else," answered Doctor Raymond
sternly. "All this is aside from the question."

"Is it?" asked the girl with some scorn. "I think not; but you needn't
answer, father. Explain your treatment of me after you found out your
mistake. What effort have you made to find out what kind of a daughter
you have? You hardly come near me. You were away for years, and now that
you are home at last you are further from me than ever because I did
have your letters; now I have nothing. I may be as brilliant as a
diamond, or as simple as a daisy, but you don't care to take the trouble
to find out."

"Well, I have been exceedingly busy," replied he lamely. "And you have
not----You see--" He did not wish to say that she had not presented a
very inviting side of her character to him. Beatrice did not know this,
so she did not wait for him to finish.

"Yes, I see, father," she said wearily. She was beginning to feel very
tired. The reaction of the unusual emotion was having its effect. "You
are just like everybody else. You talk of mind and disposition easily
enough, but you succumb to beauty at first sight. At school it was the
same. All of us were made to toe the mark except Adele. Nothing was ever
expected of her but to be beautiful. I did not care until you came, and
were disappointed in me. Then I tried protective mimicry, but it wasn't
successful."

Doctor Raymond glanced up quickly.

"What do you know about protective mimicry?" he asked.

"It's where one animal puts on