At last Harry began to laugh in repressed fashion.  “Sold, and the money taken!” he ejaculated, softly smiting his knee.

His wife smiled, too, but there was a mist in her eyes.

“I smell a large mouse, Julia.  How is it with you?”

“You mean my invitation?”

“I mean that we come under the head of those things that can’t be cured and must be endured.”

She nodded.  “And that’s why he wants to take me to the seashore.”

“Yes, but all the same he’s got to do it to carry his point.  You get the fun just the same.”  The moisture that rose to Harry’s eyes was forced there by the effort to repress his mirth.  “By jinks, the governor kissing the ’phone!  I’ll never get over that, never,” and he exploded again.

His wife laid her hand on his arm.  “Oh, Harry, can’t you see how touching it is?”

“I’ll sue him for alienating my daughter’s affections.  See if I don’t.  Why, we’re not in it at all.  Did you feel our insignificance when she found he’d gone?  We’ve been blockheads, Julia, blockheads.”

“We’re certainly figureheads,” she returned, rather ruefully.  “I don’t like to feel that your father has to pay such a price for the sake of keeping Jewel a little longer.”

“’T won’t hurt him a bit.  It’s a good joke on him.  If he doesn’t go ahead and take you now, I’ll bring another suit against him for breach of promise.”

Julia was looking thoughtfully into space.  “I believe,” she said, at last, “that we may find out that Jewel has been a missionary here.”

“She’s given father a brand new heart,” returned Harry promptly.  “That’s plain.”

“Let us not say a word to the child about the plan for her and me to stay,” said Julia.  “Let us leave it all for Mr. Evringham.”

“All right; only he won’t think you’re much pleased with the idea.”

“I’m not,” returned the other, smiling.  “I’m a little dazed; but if he was the man he appeared to be the day we left Jewel with him, and she has loved him into being a happier and better man, it may be a matter of duty for us not to deprive him of her at once.  I’ll try to resign myself to the role of necessary baggage, and even try to conceal from him the fact that I know my place.”

“Oh, my girl, you’ll have him captured in a week, and Jewel will have a rival.  You have the same knack she has for making the indifferent different.”

At this juncture the housekeeper came back into the hall.

“Well, Mrs. Forbes,” said Harry, rising, “that was rather amusing important business Jewel had with my father.”

The housekeeper held up her hands and shook her head.  “Such lovers, sir,” she responded.  “Such lovers!  Whatever he’s going to do without her is more than I know.”

“Why, it’s a big change come over father, to be fond of children,” returned the young man, openly perplexed.

“Children!” repeated the housekeeper.  “If you suppose, Mr. Harry, that Jewel is any common child, you must have had a wonderful experience.”