suggested, and as if the mention of Europe reminded him of something
else, Wilford rejoined: "Katy would be kind to Jamie, mother. In some
things she is almost as much a child as he, poor fellow," and again
there came into his eyes a look of pain, while his voice was sadder in
its tone, just as it always was when he spoke of little Jamie. "And now,
what shall I do?" he asked, playfully. "Shall I propose to Katy Lennox,
or shall I try to forget her?"

"I should not do either," was Mrs. Cameron's reply for she well knew
that trying to forget her was the surest way of keeping her in mind, and
she dared not confess to him how wholly she was determined that Katy
Lennox should never be her daughter if she could prevent it.

If she could not, then as a lady and a woman of policy, she should make
the most of it, receiving Katy kindly and doing her best to educate her
up to the Cameron ideas of style and manner.

"Let matters take their course for a while," she said, "and see how you
feel after a little. We are going to Newport the first of August, Jamie
and all, and perhaps you may find somebody there infinitely superior to
this Katy Lennox. That's your father's ring. He is earlier than usual
to-night. I would not tell him yet till you are more decided," and the
lady went hastily out into the hall to meet her husband.

A moment more and the elder Cameron appeared--a short, square-built man,
with a face seamed with lines of care and eyes much like Wilford's, save
that the shaggy eyebrows gave them a different expression. He was very
glad to see his son, though he merely shook his hand, asking what
nonsense took him off around the Lakes with Mrs. Woodhull, and wondering
if women were never happy unless they were chasing after fashion. The