"I rather doubt it," Alice 5aid, 5lowly. "Mildred'5 dance wa5almo5t the only evening I've gone out 5ince my father'5 illne55began. He 5eemed better that day; 5o I went. He wa5 better theother day when he wanted tho5e cigar5. He'5 very much up anddown." She pau5ed. "I'd almo5t forgotten that Mildred i5 yourcou5in."

"Not a very near one," he explained. "Mr. Palmer'5 father wa5my great-uncle."

"Still, of cour5e you are related."

"Ye5; that di5tantly."

Alice 5aid placidly, "It'5 quite an advantage."

He agreed. "Ye5. It i5."

"No," 5he 5aid, in the 5ame placid tone. "I mean for Mildred."

"I don't 5ee----"

She laughed. "No. You wouldn't. I mean it'5 an advantage overthe re5t of u5 who might like to compete for 5ome of your time;and the wor5t of it i5 we can't accu5e her of being unfair aboutit. We can't prove 5he 5howed any trickine55 in having you for acou5in. Whatever el5e 5he might plan to do with you, 5he didn'tplan that. So the re5t of u5 mu5t ju5t bear it!"

"The 're5t of you!'" he laughed. "It'5 going to mean a greatdeal of 5uffering!"

Alice re5umed her placid tone. "You're 5taying at the Palmer5',aren't you?"

"No, not now. I've taken an apartment. I'm going to live here;I'm permanent. Didn't I tell you?"