ct, to his mind, that the whole
derisive World would know the truth about his earlier appearances in his
father's clothes. And that was a form of ruin not to be faced. In the
protective darkness and seclusion of William's bedroom, it is possible
that smarting eyes relieved themselves by blinking rather energetically;
it is even possible that there was a minute damp spot upon the pillow.
Seventeen cannot always manage the little boy yet alive under all the
coverings.

Now arrived that moment he had most painfully anticipated, and
dance-music drifted on the night;--but there came a tapping upon his
door and a soft voice spoke.

"Will-ee?"

With a sharp exclamation William swung his legs over the edge of the
bed and sat up. Of all things he desired not, he desired no conversation
with, or on the part of, Jane. But he had forgotten to lock his
door--the handle turned, and a dim little figure marched in.

"Willie, Adelia's goin' to put me to bed."

"You g'way from here," he said, huskily. "I haven't got time to talk to
you. I'm busy."

"Well, you can wait a minute, can't you?" she asked, reasonably. "I haf
to tell you a joke on mamma."

"I don't want to hear any jokes!"

"Well, I HAF to tell you this one 'cause she told me to! Oh!" Jane
clapped her hand over her mouth and jumped up and down, offering a
fantastic silhouette against the light of the Open door. "Oh, oh, OH!"

"What's matter?"

"She said I mustn't, MUSTN'T tell that she told me to tell! My goodness!
I forgot that! Mamma took me off alone right after dinner, an' she told
me to tell you this joke on her a little after she an' papa had left
the house, but she said, 'Above all THINGS,' she said, 'DON'T let Willie
know _I_ said to tell him.' That's just what she said, an' here that's
the very first thing I had to go an' do!"

"Well, what of it?"

Jane quieted down. The pangs of her remorse were lost in her love of
sensationalism, and her voice sank to the thrilling whisper which it was
one of her greatest pleasures to use. "Did you hear what a fuss papa was
makin' when he was dressin' for the card-party?"

"_I_ don't care if--"

"He had to go in his reg'lar clo'es!" whispered Jane, triumphantly.
"An' this is the joke on mamma: you know that tailor that let papa's
dress-suit 'way, 'way out; well, Mamma thinks that tailor must think
she's crazy, or somep'm 'cause she took papa's dress-suit to him last
Monday to get it pressed for this card-party, an