d.

"I'd thought I'd go up about five, so I could get a glimpse of the
children before they are put to bed."

"Then I'll meet you there and bring you home. I wouldn't take anything
for meeting you, Susan. There's something about you that always cheers
me."

She met his eyes frankly. "Well, I'm glad of that," she replied in her
confident way, and held out her hand through the handle of the basket.
An instant later, when she passed on into Bolingbroke Street, there was
a smile on her face which made it almost pretty.

The front door was open, and as she entered the house her mother came
groping toward her out of the close-smelling dusk of the hall.

"I thought you'd never get back, Susan. I've had such a funny feeling."

"What kind of feeling, mother? It must be just nervousness. Here are
some beautiful grapes I've brought you."

"I wish you wouldn't leave me alone. I don't like to be left alone."

"Well, I don't leave you any more than I'm obliged to, but if I stay
shut up here I feel as if I'd smother. I've asked Miss Willy to come and
sit with you this evening while I run up to welcome Virginia."

"Is she coming back? Nobody told me. Nobody tells me anything."

"But I did tell you. Why, we've been talking about it for weeks. You
must have forgotten."

"I shouldn't have forgotten it. I'm sure I shouldn't have forgotten it
if you had told me. But you keep everything from me. You are just like
your father. You and James are both just like your father." Her voice
had grown peevish, and an expression of fury distorted her usually
passive features.

"Why, mother, what in the world is the matter?" asked Susan, startled by
her manner. "Come upstairs and lie down. I don't believe you are well.
You didn't eat a morsel of breakfast, so I'm going to fix you a nice
little lunch. I got you a beautiful sweetbread from Mr. Dewlap."

Putting her arm about her, she led her up the long flight of steps to
her room, where Mrs. Treadwell, pacified by the attention, began
immediately to doze on the chintz-covered couch by the window.

"I don't see what on earth ever made me marry your father, Susan," she
said, starting up half an hour later, when her daughter appeared with
the tray. "Everybody knew the Treadwells couldn't hold a candle to my
family."

"I wouldn't worry about that now, mother," replied Susan briskly, while
she placed the tray on a little table at the head of the couch. "Sit up
and eat these oysters."

"I'm