"Good afternoon, Mrs. Porter." 

 Still she did not go. I realized her predicament, and was childish enough to enjoy it, for Blakely's mother could not bear to accept a favor from a social inferior. Had I been a child, she would have patted me on the head and presented me with a sugar plum. As matters stood she was quite at sea; she wished to do something gracious—she didn't know how. 

 To make her position more impossible, who should come stalking into the room but Dad,—dear, unsuspecting Dad. When he saw Mrs. Porter he immediately jumped at a whole row of conclusions. 

 "Well, well well!" he said. "This is a sight that does me good. I'm very glad indeed to see you, Mrs. Porter. Your son has had an idea that you were opposed to meeting Elizabeth; but I knew he couldn't be right. And here you are; calling on her? Well, well, well! Elizabeth, haven't you any tea to offer Blakely's mother!" 

 "Mrs. Porter was just leaving," I managed to say. "She has been here some time." 

 Dad beamed on us both. 

 "I told Blakely, Elizabeth couldn't marry him until you consented," he blundered on, "but now I suppose it is all arranged. These children of ours are wonderfully impatient. I'm as fond of Blakely as if he were my own son, and you'll feel the same about Elizabeth when you've known her longer." 

 "Don't let Dad keep you, Mrs. Porter," I said. "I'm sure you have many things to attend to." 

 Blakely's mother who had been standing like one in a dream, now woke up. 

 "Yes," she said, "I must be going. I called informally on Elizabeth to beg you both to come to my dinner to-night." 

 "I told her we couldn't possibly come," I began. "Nonsense! Of course we can come," Dad declared. "It will quite upset Blakely if you don't come, and I shall be so disappointed." 

 "There, there," said Dad, "you're not going to disappoint Blakely's mother by refusing." 

 "No," I replied. "If Mrs. Porter really wants us we shall be delighted to come." 

 "If either of you fails me it will make me most unhappy," she said, and there was a note of sincerity, in her voice that was unmistakable. 

 "Thank you," I murmured. "We shall not fail 

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