and then it seemed to have lost the abandon which the freely-
flowing champagne had put into it.

"WHO is that frightful person?" repeated Craig. He was scowling
like a king angered and insulted by the advent of an eclipsing
rival.

"Grandma,"' replied Arkwright, his flippancy carefully keyed low.

"I've never seen a more dreadful person!" exclaimed Craig angrily.
"And a woman, too! She's the exact reverse of everything a woman
should be--no sweetness, no gentleness. I can't believe she ever
brought a child into the world."

"She probably doubts it herself," said Arkwright.

"Why does everybody cringe before her?"

"That's what everybody asks. She hasn't any huge wealth--or birth,
either, for that matter. It's just the custom. We defer to her
here precisely as we wear claw-hammer coats and low-neck dresses.
Nobody thinks of changing the custom."

Josh's lip curled. "Introduce me to her," he said commandingly.

Arkwright looked amused and alarmed. "Not tonight. All in good
time. She's the grandmother of a young woman I want you to meet.
She's Madam Bowker, and the girl's name is Severence."

"I want to meet that old woman," persisted Josh. Never before had