whatever's to be done--they TRY to lessen the sum of physical
misery. But men go cheerily on--they smoke too much, and eat too
much, and drink too much, and they bring the resulting misery
sweetly and confidently to some woman to bear for them. It's
hopeless!"

"H'm!" was Miss Vanderwall's thoughtful comment. Presently she
added dubiously: "Did you ever think that another child might make
a big difference to Clarence, Rachael? That he might come to care
for a son as he does for Billy, don't you know--"

"Oh, I wasn't speaking of Clarence," Mrs. Breckenridge said
coldly. And Elinor, recognizing a false step, winced inwardly.

"No, I didn't suppose you were!" she assented hastily.

"If there's one thing I AM thankful for," Rachael presently said
moodily, "it's that I haven't a child. I'm rather fond of kiddies-
-nice kiddies, myself; and Clarence likes children, too. But
things are quite bad enough now without that complication!" She
brushed the loosened hair from her face restlessly, and sighed.
"Sometimes, when I see the other girls," said she, "I think I'd
make a rather good mother! However"--and getting suddenly to her
feet, she flung up her head as if to be rid of the subject--
"however, my dear, we shall never know! Don't mind me to-night,
Elinor, I'm in a horrible mood, it will take nothing at all to set
me off in what Bill used to call a regilyer tant'um!"

"Tantrum nothing," said Elinor, in eager sympathy, feeling with
the greatest relief that she was reinstated in Rachael's good