"Frankly, I don't know, Mrs. Kildare. The lawyers are to settle that." "And not knowing, you have dared to court my daughter Jacqueline?" The repetition of the old-fashioned phrase jarred his over-strung nerves. "My dear lady, if you mean by 'courting,' Have I proposed marriage to your daughter? I have not. If you mean, Have I made love to her? Yes. Naturally. Why not? I assure you, she has met me more than half way." The instant the words were out, he would have given much to recall them. Why could he not have been simple and natural, told her that he loved Jacqueline, and that he was most heartily ashamed of himself? Kate reached for the bell-rope and jerked it. When Lige came running--the service at Storm was not elegant, but it was prompt--she said, "Pack Mr. Channing's bag, and bring it down at once." Then she spoke to Channing without looking at him. "My little girl is only seventeen. You are the nephew of my oldest and most trusted friend. It has never occurred to me to warn my daughters against gentlemen. I had forgotten it was necessary. I blame myself very deeply.--Now you will give me your word to make no effort to communicate with Jacqueline again in any way." He protested. "Surely you will let me see her once, Mrs. Kildare! To explain?--to--to say good-by?" "Certainly, in my presence. Your word of honor, please." He gave it with as much dignity as he could muster. She immediately opened the door and led him out into the hall, where Farwell and the two girls were amusing themselves with the graphophone. "I know you will be sorry," she said from the threshold, "to hear that Mr. Channing is leaving us at once." At the tone of her voice, Farwell gave a startled glance toward his friend, and Jemima suddenly put an arm around her sister, further rising to the occasion with polite murmurings of regret. But Jacqueline with one gesture brushed aside tact and subterfuge. She ran to Channing and caught his hand. "Why, what's the matter?" she cried. "What has happened? Why is mother sending you away?" "Jacqueline! Am I in the habit of sending guests away from my house?" "You're doing it now, and I know why!" She threw back her head and laughed. "It's too late, Mummy dear! I suppose the fat's in the fire--but it was fun while it lasted! You didn't suspect your little girl was big enough to have a real sweetheart, did you?" A lovely blush spread over her face. She tugged at Channing's hand. "Come, why don't you tell her everything? Time to 'speak for yourself, John!'" The silence puzzled her. She looked from one to the other. "Mummy, you're not really angry because we kept it a secret? Remember!--didn't you keep it a secret from your mother, too, just at first? It's a thing girls _have_ to keep to themselves, just at first, till they're used to it--Jemmy," she cried, suddenly turning on her sister, "_why_ are you looking so sympathetic at me?"