door closed behind the governess, Jane
shot up from her chair and advanced upon him.

"You ain't treatin' me fair," she charged, speaking low, but breathing
fast. "You ain't takin' your hours off duty along with me no more.
You're givin' me the cold shoulder."

At that, Gwendolyn turned her head to look. Of late, she had heard not a
few times of Thomas's cold shoulder--this in heated encounters between
him and Jane. She wondered which of his shoulders was the cold one.

Thomas lifted his upper lip in a sneer. "Indeed!" he replied. "I'm not
treatin' you fair? Well," (with meaning) "I didn't think you was
botherin' your head about anybody--except a certain policeman."

Back jerked Jane's chin. "Can't I have a gentleman friend?" she demanded
defensively.

"Ha! ha! Gentleman friend!" Then, addressing no one in particular, "My!
but don't a uniform take a woman's eye!"

"Why, Thomas!" It was a sorrowful protest. "You misjudge, you really
_do_."

So far there was no fresh element in the misunderstanding. Thus the two
argued time and again. Gwendolyn almost knew their quarrel by heart.

But now Thomas came round upon Jane with a snarl. "You're not foolin'
me," he declared. "Don't you think I know that policeman's heels over
head?" He shook his crumb-knife at her. "_Heels over head!_" Then
seizing the tray and swinging it up, he stalked out.

Jane fell to pacing the floor. Her reddish eyes roved angrily.

Heels over head! Gwendolyn, pondering, now watched the nurse, now looked
across to where, on its shelf, was poised the toy somersault man. If one
of the uniformed men she dreaded was heels over head--

"But, Jane."

"Well? Well?"

"I saw the p'liceman walking on his feet _yesterday_."

"Hush your silly talk!"

Gwendolyn hushed, her gray eyes wistful, her mouth drooping. The morning
had been so peaceful. Now Jane had spoken the first rough word.

Peace returned with Miss Royle, who came in with the morning paper,
dismissed Jane, and settled down in the upholstered chair, silver-rimmed
spectacles on nose.

The brocade hangings of the front window were only partly drawn. Between
them, Gwendolyn made out more of those fat sheep straying down the azure
field of the sky. She lay very still and counted them; and, counting,
slept, but restlessly, with eyes only half-shut and nervous starts.

Awakening at noon the listlessness was gone, and she felt stronger. Her
eyes were bright, too. There was a faint color in c