Wolf surveyed the girl gravely. She wore a long, straight muslin dress, with short sleeves, creamy-white and covered with pale little roses. Never had she looked so enchanting.

“You’re certainly a good lady’s-maid, Mother,” he said solemnly.

“She’s told me you’re expecting another mother this afternoon,” continued Mrs. Solent, releasing Gerda and proceeding to arrange the slices of toast upon a plate. “Now then, where’s that loaf? I’ll cut the bread-and-butter.”

It became Wolf’s destiny to stand for the next quarter of an hour, figuratively speaking, “upon one leg,” while he watched what seemed to resemble the most piquant of flirtations going on between these two.