e kissed Persis good-by in a
fashion which the critical might have pronounced needlessly
provocative, though her dreamy eyes protested that nothing was further
from her maiden thoughts than the presence of Thad West. Persis, who
was intensely alive to every phase of the dramatic situation, had
caught a glimpse of the young fellow's face during the affectionate
leave-taking and was abundantly satisfied.

"Thad's no fool, though he's acted like the twin brother to an idiot.
He can't help seeing that the mother of a grown-up girl like Diantha
hadn't ought to be flirting with a boy like him. If he doesn't see it
now he will before he gets her home, or I miss my guess."

Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Sinclair were seated side by side on their front
porch, presenting an agreeable picture of domesticity. The reason for
Annabel's presence was that the tenor singer of the Unitarian choir was
accustomed to pass the house at that hour. Sinclair stayed on simply
because he suspected that his wife wished him indoors. He read aloud
inane items of village news from the weekly paper, and only the veiled
mockery of his eyes betrayed the fact that he was not the most devoted
and the most complacent of husbands.

As the two young people came into view, Annabel's air of indifferent
listlessness changed to rigid attention. She recognized the gallant
figure of the young man considerably before she knew his graceful
companion. Her husband's eyes were quicker. His paper dropped from
his hand, and his emotions found vent in an explosive and needlessly
profane monosyllable.

The two culprits came up the walk, Thad with a fine color, Diantha
extraordinarily self-possessed. The girl's eyes rested on her mother's
face, then went in swift appeal to her father's. Their consternation
was too obvious to be ignored.

"I wore my new dress home," she remarked casually. Then with sudden
recklessness: "Do you like it?"

"It's--it's absurd," pronounced Annabel almost with a snarl. So a
mother tigress might have corrected her offspring. Never had she
seemed less prepossessing to her youthful adorer than at that moment.
Anger aged her indescribably. The young man looked at her and dropped
his eyes ashamed.

"It's no longer than other girls of sixteen are wearing," said Diantha,
and turned to Thad. "Thank you for carrying my bundle." She took the
package and vanished. Nothing in her outward composure indicated that
her heart was thumping, and g