"The disparity between her years and my nephew's is variously stated,"
continued the old lady. "But since John's engagement we have all of us
realized that love is truly blind."

I did not open my mouth any more; but my mind's mouth was wide open.

My hostess kept it so. "Since John Mayrant was fifteen he has had many
loves; and for myself, knowing him and believing in him as I do, I feel
confident that he will make no connection distasteful to the family when
he really comes to marry."

This time I gasped outright. "But--the cake!--next Wednesday!"

She made, with her small white hand, a slight and slighting gesture. "The
cake is not baked yet, and we shall see what we shall see." From this
onward until the end a pinkness mounted in her pale, delicate cheeks, and
deep, strong resentment burned beneath her discreetly expressed
indiscretions. "The cake is not baked, and I, at least, am not
solicitous. I tell my cousin, Mrs. Gregory St. Michael, that she must not
forget it was merely his phosphates. That girl would never have looked at
John Mayrant had it not been for the rumor of his phosphates. I suppose
some one has explained to you her pretensions of birth. Away from Kings
Port she may pass for a native of this place, but they come from Georgia.
It cannot be said that she has met with encouragement from us; she,
however, easily recovers from such things. The present generation of
young people in Kings Port has little enough to remind us of what we
stood for in manners and customs, but we are not accountable for her, nor
for her father. I believe that he is called a general. His conduct at
Chattanooga was conspicuous for personal prudence. Both of them are