as good," laughed Phoebe.

"But I promised him it should be just like the one you gave us the other
afternoon, only with the icing and nuts thicker than the cake," answered
Caroline in real distress. "He says that Mr. Sevier likes it that way,
too," she added ingenuously.

"Caroline Darrah, you spoil those men to the most outrageous extent. It's
like David to want his icing and nuts thicker than the cake; he always
does--and gets it, but it isn't good for him." As Phoebe spoke she smiled
at Caroline Darrah indulgently.

"I can't help it, Phoebe," she answered with the rose wave mounting under
her eyes. "I'm stupid--I don't know how to manage them. I'm just--fond of
them."

For a second Phoebe regarded her from under veiled eyes, then said
guardedly, "Doesn't that give them rather the advantage to start with--if
you let them find it out?"

"Yes," answered Caroline as she pressed her cheek against Phoebe's arm,
"I know it does but I can't help it. I have to trust to them to
understand."

For a moment Phoebe was silent and across her mind there flashed David's
description of a man who sat into the gray dawn fighting his battle--his
own and hers--a man who wouldn't run!

"Perhaps that's the best way after all, dearie," she said as she prepared
to slip out of bed. "Only it takes the exceptional woman to get results