| I. | A Young Lady of Moods | [ 1] |
| II. | The Affairs of Mrs. Copeland | [ 20] |
| III. | Mr. Farley becomes Explicit | [ 39] |
| IV. | Nan and Billy’s Wife | [ 57] |
| V. | A Collector of Facts | [ 68] |
| VI. | An Error of Judgment | [ 87] |
| VII. | Welcome Callers | [ 99] |
| VIII. | Mrs. Copeland’s Good Fortune | [ 113] |
| IX. | A Narrow Escape | [ 124] |
| X. | The Ambitions of Mr. Amidon | [ 136] |
| XI. | Canoeing | [ 151] |
| XII. | Last Wills and Testaments | [ 165] |
| XIII. | A Kinney Lark and its Consequences | [ 175] |
| XIV. | Bills Payable | [ 194] |
| XV. | Fate and Billy Copeland | [ 208] |
| XVI. | An Abrupt Ending | [ 226] |
| XVII. | Shadows | [ 243] |
| XVIII. | Nan against Nan | [ 256] |
| XIX. | Not according to Law | [ 263] |
| XX. | The Copeland-Farley Cellar | [ 275] |
| XXI. | A Solvent House | [ 283] |
| XXII. | Null and Void | [ 292] |
| XXIII. | In Trust | [ 301] |
| XXIV. | “I never stopped loving him!” | [ 317] |
| XXV. | Copeland’s Unknown Benefactor | [ 327] |
| XXVI. | Jerry’s Dark Days | [ 337] |
| XXVII. | “Just helping; just being kind!” | [ 354] |
ILLUSTRATIONS
| “Now we’re in for it!” said Nan uncomfortably | [ Frontispiece] |
| “A very charming person—a little devilish, but keen and amusing” | [ 26] |
| “Oh, I had one glass; nobody had more, I think; there was some kind of mineral water besides. It was all very simple” | [ 44] |
| Nan experienced suddenly a disturbing sense of her inferiority to this woman | [ 62] |
| “I’m not losing anything; and besides, I’m having a mighty good time” | [ 66] |
| The furtive touch of his hand seemed to establish an understanding between them that they were spectators, not participants in the revel | [ 188] |
| The touch of her wet cheek thrilled him | [ 372] |
From drawings by C. H. Taffs
THE PROOF OF THE
PUDDING
CHAPTER I
A YOUNG LADY OF MOODS
It was three o’clock, but the luncheon the Kinneys were giving at the Country Club had survived the passing of less leisurely patrons and now dominated the house. The negro waiters, having served all the food and drink prescribed, perched on the railing of the veranda outside the dining-room, ready to offer further liquids if they should be demanded. Such demands had not been infrequent during the two hours that had intervened since the party sat down, as a row of empty champagne bottles in the club pantry testified. The negroes watched with discreet grins the antics of a girl of twenty-two who seemed to be the center of interest. She had been entertaining the company with a variety of impersonations of local characters, rising and moving about for the better display of her powers of mimicry. Hand-clapping and cries of “Go on!” followed each of these performances.
She concluded an imitation of the head waiter—a pompous individual who had viewed this impiety with mixed emotions—and sank exhausted into her chair amid boisterous laughter. The flush in her cheeks was not wholly attributable to the heat of the June day, and the eagerness with which she gulped a glass of champagne one of the men handed her suggested a familiar acquaintance with that beverage.
“Now, Nan, give us Daddy Farley. Do old Uncle Tim cussing the doctor—put it all in—that’s a good little Nan!”
“Go to it, Nan; we’ve got to have it!” cried Mrs. Kinney.