taking her to concerts. Suddenly, without warning, there was a
newcomer in the circle, a sleek-headed brown-haired little man
known as Justin Little.

He had been introduced at some party to Anne and Alix; he called;
he was presently taking Anne to a lecture. Anne now began to laugh
at him and say that he was "too ridiculous," but she did not allow
any one else to say so. On the contrary, she told Alix at various
times that his mother had been one of the old Maryland Percies,
and his great-grandfather was mentioned in a book by Sir Walter
Scott, and that one had to respect the man, even if one didn't
choose to marry him.

"Marry him!" Alix had echoed in simple amazement. Marry him--what
was all this sudden change in the household when a man could no
sooner appear than some girl began to talk of marriage? Alix had
always rather fancied the idea that all girls had an opportunity
of capriciously choosing from a dozen eligible swains, but Cherry
had quickly anchored herself to the first strange man that
appeared, and here was Anne dimpling and looking demure over a
small, neat youth just out of law school. Certainly the little
person of Justin Little was a strange harbour for all Anne's vague
dreams of a conquering hero. Stupefied, Alix watched the affair
progress.

"I don't imagine it's serious!" her father said on an April walk.
Peter, tramping beside them, was interested but silent.

"My dear father," the girl protested, "have you listened to them?
They've been contending for weeks that they were just remarkably