"I hardly see how it matters, Babbie; it was on her bureau, anyway! Just like a servant girl!" Mrs. Toland persisted. "Well, anyway, it seemed best to push it right through," said Jim, "especially as they persisted that they would do it again or die--or rather, Sally did!" "Oh, Jim, _don't_!" wailed Sally's mother. "Poor, deluded child!" "I don't mean that Keith wasn't fiery enough," Jim hastened to say. "He's a decent enough little fellow, and he's madly in love. So we all went up to the French church, and Father Marchand married them--" "A child of mine!" said Mrs. Toland, stricken. "Keith's father and I witnessed," pursued Jim, "and we both kissed the bride--" "Sally! And she was such a dear sweet baby!" whispered Mrs. Toland, big tears beginning to run down her cheeks. "Ah, Mother!" Constance said soothingly, at her mother's knees. "Sally's of age, of course," Jim argued soothingly, "and one couldn't bring her home like a child. The thing would have gotten out, and she'd have been a marked girl for life! There's really no _reason_ why they shouldn't marry, and the boy--Keith, that is, put her into a carriage quite charmingly, and they drove off. They'll go no farther than Tamalpais or the Hotel Rafael, probably, for Keith has to be back at work on Monday, and I made him promise to bring Sally here on Sunday night." "And what will they live on?" Mrs. Toland asked stonily. "That isn't worrying them. Sally has--what? From those bonds of her grandfather's?" "Three hundred a year," Mrs. Toland said discouragingly. "And Keith gets fifty-five a month. That's eighty--h'm!" pursued Jim. "Well, some of us simply will have to help them," suggested Mrs. Toland, with a swift, innocent glance at Miss Sanna. "His father will have to help," Miss Toland countered firmly. They presently adjourned to the dining-room, all still talking--even Julia--of Sally. Sally would have to take the Barnes cottage, at fifteen dollars a month, and do her own cooking, and her own sewing-- "They can dine here on Sundays," said Sally's mother, sniffing and wiping her eyes. "And wouldn't it be awful if they had a baby!" Jane flung out casually. Every one felt the indelicacy of this, except Julia, who relieved all Jane's hearers by saying warmly: "Oh, don't say awful! Why, you'd all go wild over a dear little baby!"