leeve, and upon the little indentations in her cheek where the
tips of her fingers rested. She should not have worn white at her
wrist, or at the throat either, George felt; and then, strangely, his
resentment concentrated upon those tiny indentations at the tips of her
fingers--actual changes, however slight and fleeting, in his mother's
face, made because of Mr. Eugene Morgan. For the moment, it seemed
to George that Morgan might have claimed the ownership of a face that
changed for him.. It was as if he owned Isabel.

The two began to walk on toward the gate, where they stopped again,
turning to face each other, and Isabel's glance, passing Eugene, fell
upon George. Instantly she smiled and waved her hand to him; while
Eugene turned and nodded; but George, standing as in some rigid trance,
and staring straight at them, gave these signals of greeting no sign of
recognition whatever. Upon this, Isabel called to him, waving her hand
again.

"Georgie!" she called, laughing. "Wake up, dear! Georgie, hello!"

George turned away as if he had neither seen nor heard, and stalked into
the house by the side door.

Chapter XXI

He went to his room, threw off his coat, waistcoat, collar, and tie,
letting them lie where they chanced to fall, and then, having violently
enveloped himself in a black velvet dressing-gown, continued this action
by lying down with a vehemence that brought a wheeze of protest from his
bed. His repose was only a momentary semblance, however, for it lasted
no longer than the time it took him to groan "Riffraff!" between his
teeth. Then he sat up, swung his feet to the floor, rose, and began to
pace up and down the large room.

He had just been consciously rude to his mother for the first time in
his life; for, with all his riding down of populace and riffraff, he
had never before been either deliberately or impulsively disregardful
of her. When he had hurt her it had been accidental; and his remorse for
such an accident was always adequate compensation--and more--to Isabel.
But now he had done a rough thing to her; and he did not repent; rather
he was the more irritated with her. And when he heard her presently go
by his door with a light step, singing cheerfully to herself as she
went to her room, he perceived that she had mistaken his intention
altogether, or, indeed, had failed to perceive that he had any intention
at all. Evidently she had concluded that he refused to speak to her and
Mo