Nobody's Child

rtner. A touch of languor would have made her an exquisite dancer, but Baird discovered that her apparently soft curves covered mu

r seen; a "wonder-woman" he called her, which, for Nickolas Baird, was a poetic flight. When they danced again, he begged her to set him his task: "What is it you are g

en an onlooker that the spell of profound respect was upon him. It made his rough strength appealing, the sort of appeal a young man of Baird's virile type usually makes to a woman older than himsel

, and, avoiding the drawing-room where the elder women were gathered, had come by the veranda to the

more lightly mysel

wanted," she said, when the dance was over. "That's the penalty I pay for bein

pite?" Baird exclaimed. "I want an

ed and shoo

me what I'm to do for

me square dances by and by, and an

rch-somewhere where we c

little affir

" Baird said bruskly. "I ha

she had turned away her face settled into gravity, an expression

she asked sharply. "An

ve lost my feet-Edward's goin' to have us all under the table befo'

reath. "Oh-well, come

aces and connecting the two wings of the house, affording an entrance to the ballroom at one end, to the kitchens at the other, and a rear

. Of co's' you can be relied on to choose your friends sensibly, but Garvin's not so certain. Who is this Nickolas Baird? If I introduce him, I've got to stand f

bly. "In fact, I know he hasn't-he told me th

n, Judith!" the colo

ously, "I really know very little about him, Ridley-except that he seems to be a nice, clever sort of boy. Edward approves of him, so I asked him here. Edw

about. He has more social sense than most of his money-makin' crowd-but then he would have-he's a Carter. He certainly has a deal more

dining, or of being deprived of the meal. His brain appears to be stored with schemes, and all sorts of useful knowledge as well. He is entertaining, f

relieve Edward of some of his money

, Ri

and out here at the Hunt Club fo' a purpose. What does he mean-givin' away automobiles. He spoke up like a flash at dinner; there's something in it fo' him, I'll wager." The colonel expressed himsel

it for him, I'm sure.... I wish he would tea

s young man's kind bein' received into our first families. I'm continually at odds with Mary over the

ith asked coldly. "There has been a little too

nel said

e of difference. Christine Carter told Elizabeth that he was going to be asked to the next Assembly Ball, and you know that that places him. If he wants to go to the Fair Field meet, he will go-he is the sort of man who'll always get what he wants. It's just as well for people like ourselves to realize that Mr. Baird's type is becoming plentiful-right here in our stronghold-and adapt ourselves to the inevitable. If

young man's pretty well smitten with you, if I'm any judge, and if I should se

that there had never been a more imperious Westmore than his Cousin Judith; he gr

my old age!" She rippled into more subdued mirth as she rose. "You go on in and talk to Edward-he'll give you the best of reasons for our countenancing Mr. Baird." She changed then suddenly to sternness. "I'd advise you, though, not to make any such remarks to him as you've just made

emotionally erratic, particularly if they had had so barren an emotional existence as Judith; and also, that yo

ngue has run a little too loose. That happens to me sometimes, as you know. I beg yo' pardon. What I really think is that you are a woman in a

r hands and kissed his cheek. "You are a dear," she said brightly. "Now go in to Edward and be nice to him. He's worried over Garvin-and a numbe

each member of the clan, and it was a rare thing for one of them to venture upon critici