"You must come and see them," the Human Document insisted. "Such dear,
magnetic creatures. I superintend their entire education myself. We
have a cottage in Surrey. It's rather a tight fit. You see, there are
seven of us now. But the three girls can easily turn in together for a
night, Abner will be delighted."

"Abner is your second?" suggested Miss Tolley.

"My third," the Human Document corrected her. "After Eustace, I married
Ivanoff. I say 'married' because I regard it as the holiest form of
marriage. He had to return to his own country. There was a political
movement on foot. He felt it his duty to go. I want you particularly to
meet the boy. He will interest you."

Miss Tolley appeared to be getting muddled. "Whose boy?" she demanded.

"Ivanoff's," explained the Human Document. "He was our only child."

Flossie appeared, towing a white-haired, distinguished-looking man, a Mr.
Folk. She introduced him and immediately disappeared. Joan wished she
had been left alone a little longer. She would like to have heard more.
Especially was she curious concerning Abner, the lady's third. Would the
higher moral law compel him, likewise, to leave the poor lady saddled
with another couple of children? Or would she, on this occasion, get
in--or rather, get off, first? Her own fancy was to back Abner. She did
catch just one sentence before Miss Tolley, having obtained more food for
reflection than perhaps she wanted, signalled to her secretary that the
note-book might be closed.

"Woman's right to follow the dictates of her own heart, uncontrolled by