daughter, "dearie, I must tell you," she said; "it's about Ju--"

Their eyes met in the pause.

"Mother--really?" Margaret said slowly.

"She told me on Tuesday,." Mrs. Paget said, with glistening eyes.
"Now, not a word to any one, Mark,--but she'll want you to know!"

"And is she glad?" Margaret said, unable to rejoice.

"Glad?" Mrs. Paget echoed, her face gladness itself.

"Well, Ju's so young,--just twenty-one," Margaret submitted a little
uncertainly; "and she's been so free,--and they're just in the new
house! And I thought they were going to Europe!"

"Oh, Europe!" Mrs. Paget dismissed it cheerfully. "Why, it's the
happiest time in a woman's life, Mark! Or I don't know, though," she
went on thoughtfully,--"I don't know but what I was happiest when you
were all tiny, tumbling about me, and climbing into my lap.... Why,
you love children, dear," she finished, with a shade of reproach in
her voice, as Margaret still looked sober.

"Yes, I know, Mother," Margaret said. "But Julie's only got the one
maid, and I don't suppose they can have another. I hope to goodness Ju
won't get herself all run down!"

Her mother laughed. "You remind me of Grandma Paget," said she,
cheerfully; "she lived ten miles away when we were married, but she