The next morning, quite willing to sacrifice her last nap in her desire to crush all duty, she started for work half an hour earlier than usual, and invited Mr. Severs to ride down-town with her. And as they started off, Father and Daughter-in-law from separate windows of the house watched their departure, and prayed that success might crown her efforts. "I want to talk to you confidentially, Mr. Severs," she said softly. "I--I think you misunderstand some things. I have been with your father such a lot, and I have discovered that he really wants to live alone. He likes to be free to do things when he likes, and how." "He can do that in our home, Miss Ainsworth," Andy said stiffly. "Of course he can, but he thinks he can't. He wants to do as Mrs. Severs likes. He is only pretending it is his duty to go, because he thought it would hurt your feelings if _you_ knew he wanted to leave you. He is just crazy about both of you, but he is so used to doing every little thing in his own sweet way. It almost seems your duty fairly to make him go, because he would be happier." "I am not one to shirk my duty, Miss Ainsworth. I will sacrifice anything for my father." "Of course it will be lonely for you when he goes, but think how happy he will be following his every desire. I should think you would fairly force him to be selfish enough to leave you." "You may be right. He does not care for our way of living, I know, and he does like messing around. And then, too, it upsets our plans a lot having him there, but whatever is right for dad, is right for us." "Then he must certainly have the little shack we saw the other day--he adored it. You just tell him how lonely you will be, and how you will miss him, Mr. Severs, and then make him take the little cottage." Talking it over afterward with Nolan, Eveley admitted regretfully that she could hardly call this a victory--because Father-in-law only moved to do his duty, and the children only allowed him to go for the sake of doing theirs--but since everything worked out right, she was satisfied, though she alone knew that happiness came to the three because each one followed his own desire to the exclusion of other considerations. CHAPTER XI THE GERM OF DUTY The case of the Good-Looking Member strained Nolan's patience almost to the breaking point, but after many days of fruitless chafing, his forbearance was rewarded. Eveley invited him to dinner. "Have you rescued the good-looking one from the loveless sea?" he asked sarcastically. "I have sown the good seed," she said amiably. "I never heard of sowing seeds in a loveless sea," he sneered. "I have thought up a wonderful scheme. But you will have to help me out. I always fall back on you in an emergency, don't I?" Eveley's voice was sweetest honey. "So you must come to dinner." "Is the Handsome Member to be among those present?"