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〃And your crown！〃 exclaimed Mabel； 〃and your kimono。 Ain't you
going to wear your kimono？〃
She hastened to the cabinet and produced the cloak of black
velvet and spangles； and the silver…gilt crown。
〃No； I am not！〃 declared Vera。 She wore the frightened look of a
mutinous child。 〃I I look so foolish in them！〃
Such heresy caused Mannie to gasp aloud； 〃You look grand in
them；〃 he protested； 〃don't she； Mabel？〃
〃Sure she does；〃 assented that lady。
〃And your junk？〃 demanded Mannie； referring to the jade necklace
and the gold… plated bracelets。 His eyes opened in sympathy。
〃You haven't pawned them； have you？〃
〃Pawned them？〃 laughed Vera； 〃I couldn't get anything on them！〃
As the only masculine point of view available； she appealed to
Mannie wistfully。 〃Don't you like me better this way； Mannie？〃
she begged。
But that critic protested violently。
〃Not a bit like it；〃 he cried。 〃Now； in the gold tiara and the
spangled opera cloak；〃 he differentiated； 〃you look like a
picture postal card！ You got Lotta Faust's blue skirt back to
Levey's。 But not in the white goods！〃 He shook his head sadly；
firmly。 〃You look； now； like you was made up for a May…day
picnic in the Bronx； and they'd picked on you to be Queen of the
May。〃
Mabel carried the much…admired opera cloak to Vera； and held it
out； tempting her。 〃You'll wear it； just to please me and
Mannie； won't you； dearie？〃 she begged。 Vera retreated before it
as though it held the germs of contagion。
〃I will not；〃 she rebelled。 〃I hate it！ When I have that on； I
feel mean。 I feel as mean as though I were picking pennies
out of a blind man's hat。〃 Mannie roared with delight。
〃Gee！〃 he shouted； 〃but that's a hot one。〃
〃Besides；〃 said Vera consciously； 〃I'm I'm expecting some
one。〃
The manner more than the words thrilled Mabel with the most
joyful expectations。
She exclaimed excitedly。 〃A gentleman friend； Vera？〃 she asked。
That Vera shunned all young men had been to Mabel a source of
wonder and of pride。 Even when the young men were the friends of
her husband and of herself； the preoccupied manner with which
Vera received them did not provoke in Mabel any resentment。 It
rather increased her approbation。 Although horrified at the
recklessness of the girl； she had approved even when Vera
rejected an offer of marriage from a wine agent。
Secretly； for a proper alliance for her； Mabel read the society
columns in search of eligible； rich young men。 Finding that they
invariably married eligible； rich young women； she had lately
determined that Vera's destiny must be an English duke。
Still if； as she hoped； Vera had chosen for herself； Mabel felt
assured that the man would prove worthy； and a good match。 A
good match meant one who owned not only a runabout； but a
touring car。
〃It's a man from home；〃 said Vera。 〃Home？〃 queried Mannie。
〃From up the State；〃 explained Vera； 〃from Geneva。 It's Mr。
Winthrop。〃
With an exclamation of alarm； Mannie started upright。
〃Winthrop！〃 he cried； then with a laugh of relief he sank back。
〃Gee！ You give me a scare；〃 he cried。 〃I thought you meant the
District Attorney。〃
Mabel laughed sympathetically。
〃I thought so too；〃 she admitted。
〃I do mean the District Attorney；〃 said the girl。
〃Vera！〃 cried Mabel。
〃Winthrop coming here？〃 demanded Mannie。
〃I met him at Mr。 Hallowell's this morning；〃 said Vera。 〃Didn't
Paul tell you？〃
〃Paul ain't back yet；〃 said Mannie。 〃I wish he was！〃 His lower
jaw dropped in dazed bewilderment。 〃Winthrop coming here？〃 he
repeated。 〃And they're all coming here！〃 he exclaimed excitedly。
〃Paul just phoned me。 They've taken Gaylor in with them； and
we're all working together now on some game for tonight。 And
Winthrop's coming here！〃 He shook his head decidedly；
importantly。 As the only man of the family present； he felt he
must meet this crisis。 〃Paul won't stand for it！〃 he declared。
〃Well； Paul will just have to stand for it！〃 retorted Mrs。
Vance。
With a murmur of sympathy she crossed to Vera。 〃I'm not going to
see our Vera disappointed；〃 she announced。 〃She never sees no
company。 Vera； if Mr。 Winthrop comes when that bunch is here；
I'll show him into the front parlor。〃
Vera sat down in front of the piano and let her fingers drop
upon the keys。 The look of eagerness and anticipation had left
her eyes。
〃Oh； I don't know；〃 she said； 〃that I want to see him now。〃
With complete misunderstanding； Mannie demanded truculently；
〃Why not？〃 His loyalty to Vera gave him courage； in her behalf；
to face even a District Attorney。 〃He doesn't think he's coming
here to make trouble for you； does he？〃
Vera shook her head and； bending over the piano； struck a few
detached chords。
〃Oh； no；〃 she said consciously； 〃just to see me
professionally like everybody else。〃
Mabel could no longer withhold her indignation at the obtuseness
of the masculine intellect。
〃My gracious； Mannie！〃 she exclaimed； 〃can't you understand he's
coming here to make a call on Vera like a gentleman not
like no District Attorney。〃
Mannie precipitately retreated from his position as champion。
〃Sure； I understand；〃 he protested。
With the joy that a match…making mother takes in the hunt； Mabel
sank into the plush rocking chair and； rocking violently； turned
upon Vera an eager and excited smile。
〃Think of our Vera knowing Mr。 Winthrop socially？〃 she
exclaimed。 〃It's grand！ And they say his sisters are elegant
ladies。 Last winter I read about them at the opera； and it
always printed what they had on。 Why didn't you tell me you
knowed him； Vera？〃 she cried reproachfully。 〃I tell you
everything！〃
〃I don't know him；〃 protested the girl。 〃I used to see him when
he lived in the same town。〃
Mabel； inviting further confidences； ceased rocking and nodded
encouragingly。 〃Up in Geneva？〃 she prompted。
〃Yes；〃 said Vera； 〃I used to see him every afternoon then； when
he played ball on the college nine 〃
〃Who？〃 demanded Mannie incredulously。
〃Winthrop；〃 said Vera。
〃Did he？〃 exclaimed Mannie。 His tone suggested that he might
still be persuaded that there was good in the man。
〃What'd he play？〃 he demanded suspiciously。
〃First；〃 said Vera。
〃Did he！〃 exclaimed Mannie。 His tone now was of open
approbation。
Vera had raised her eyes and turned them toward the windows。
Beyond the soot… stained sumach tree； the fire escapes of the
department store； she saw the sun… drenched campus； the
buttressed chapel； the ancient； drooping elms； and on a canvas
bag； poised like a winged Mercury； a tall straight figure in
gray； dusty flannels。
〃He was awfully good…looking；〃 murmured the girl； 〃and awfully
tall。 He could stop a ball as high as that！〃 She raised her
arm in the air； and then； suddenly conscious； flushed； and
turned to the piano。
〃Go on； tell us；〃 urged Mabel。 〃So you first met him in Geneva；
did you？〃
〃No；〃 corrected Vera； 〃saw him there。 I only met him once。〃
Mannie interrupted hilariously。
〃I only saw him once； too；〃 he cried； 〃that was enough for me。〃
Vera swiftly spun the piano stool so that she faced him。 Her
eyes were filled with concern。
〃You； Mannie！〃 she deman