"I don't want you to examine them," retorted Gerard resentfully, "I want
you to see them. There's nothing the matter with them, you understand."

"Exactly," nodded Selwyn, following his big brother-in-law into the
hall, where, from beside a lamp-lit sewing table a trim maid rose
smiling:

"Miss Erroll desires to know whether Captain Selwyn would care to see
her gown when she is ready to go down?"

"By all means," said Selwyn, "I should like to see that, too. Will you
let me know when Miss Erroll is ready? Thank you."

Austin said as they reached the nursery door: "Funny thing, feminine
vanity--almost pathetic, isn't it? . . . Don't make too much
noise! . . . What do you think of that pair of legs, Phil?--and he's not
yet five. . . . And I want you to speak frankly; _did_ you ever see
anything to beat that bunch of infants? Not because they're ours and we
happen to be your own people--" he checked himself and the smile faded
as he laid his big ruddy hand on Selwyn's shoulder;--"_your own people_,
Phil. Do you understand? . . . And if I have not ventured to say
anything about--what has happened--you understand that, too, don't you?
You know I'm just as loyal to you as Nina is--as it is natural and
fitting that your own people should be. Only a man finds it difficult to
convey his--his--"

"Don't say 'sympathies'!" cut in Selwyn nervously.

"I wasn't going to, confound you! I was going to say 'sentiments.' I'm