“Thanks,” he repeated, “I will. Good-bye,” shaking hands with Lucy. Then, “Good-bye, Mrs. Merwent. Thank you so much.” “Oh, the pleasure will be ours,” Nannie declared. Mrs. Lockhart kissed Nannie and Lucy, pinching the latter’s cheek. “We’ll have to give a little party for my grandbaby. She’s the picture of her grandpapa,” the old lady declared, smiling. “Did you hear what she said, Lucy?” Nannie asked delightedly as soon as their callers were gone. “Yes,” answered Lucy. “Isn’t it just grand?” continued Nannie with enthusiasm. “What? The party?” “Why, no--yes--the party and everything.” “I don’t think so, Mamma. As for the party, I won’t have it. So far as the rest goes, you already have been invited to Cousin Minnie’s and I don’t want to be invited, so I don’t see what you have gained.” “I!” exclaimed Nannie indignantly. “Why, Lucy, I wasn’t thinking of myself at all. It’s you I’m glad for.” “But I don’t see what I have to do with it, Mamma. Cousin Minnie and Grandmamma have never paid any attention to me before and I wouldn’t thank them for their attention now.” “But, Lucy----” “What, Mamma?” “Lucy, it isn’t only Mamma and Cousin Minnie. It means that--it means----” Lucy’s steady eyes were upon Nannie, “It means that others--that we will be----” “If you mean that you want me to go around with Kingsley Dodd so as to be taken up by the people who dropped us when Papa failed to make money, I won’t do it, that’s all.” “Why, Lucy!” “Our own relatives have treated Papa like dirt and the others have followed them, so I, for one, don’t want anything to do with them.” Nannie assumed a maternal and authoritative tone. “Lucy, you don’t realize what you are saying. I won’t allow you to ruin your chances in any such manner. You told Kingsley Dodd that he could come Thursday night and----” “You mean you invited him, Mamma.” “Well, you agreed and it’s the same thing.” “I’ll see him when he comes Thursday,” Lucy conceded, “but I won’t again, and I won’t go to the party, so you had better tell Grandmamma not to count on it.” “What in the world have you got against Kingsley?” Nannie demanded, now on the defensive. “I don’t like him, and if I did I wouldn’t have anything to do with him under the circumstances.” Nannie lost her temper. “You shan’t act this way!” she almost screamed. Lucy’s gaze did not waver. “Yes, I shall,” she said steadily. Nannie burst into tears. Lucy hesitated a moment before she continued. “I’m sorry, Mamma, but I can’t help feeling this way,” she said at last. Nannie made no reply and went on sobbing. Looking rather miserable, Lucy left her and went to the kitchen to prepare supper. * * * * * The day after Kingsley Dodd’s presentation Nannie paid a visit to her mother. “Lucy, your grandmother wants you to go over and see her in the morning,” Nannie announced on her return. “All right, Mamma,” Lucy acceded without hesitation.