she could only feel for him the affection she might give to a brother."

"Brother!" exclaimed Rita, in accent of contempt, though she did not
look up from her plate. The young lady was growing rebellious. Wait for
the reckoning, girl! Rita's red flag of rebellion silenced Mrs. Bays for
the time being, and she attempted no further explanations.

Poor father Bays could think of nothing but Dic eating dinner at the
tavern. Rita trembled in rebellion, and was silent. After a time the
general chilliness penetrated even Williams's coat of polish, and only
the clinking of the knives and forks broke the uncomfortable stillness.
Dic was well avenged.

Soon after dinner Tom and Dic returned. Tom went to the kitchen, and his
mother said:--

"Tom, my son, your words grieved me, and I--"

"Oh, shut up," answered De Triflin'. "Your heart'll bust if you talk too
much. Do you want to make Dic sue us for the money we owe him, and throw
us out of business? Don't you know we would have to go back to Blue if
Dic asked for his money? If you hain't got any sense, you ought to keep
your mouth shut."

"Tom, you should be ashamed," said Rita, looking reproachfully at her
brother.

"You shut up too," answered Tom. "Go in and talk to your two beaux. God!
but you're popular. How are you going to manage them to-night?"

That question had presented itself before, and Rita had not been able to
answer it.

After Mrs. Bays had gone from the kitchen, Tom repeated his question:--

"How will you manage them to-night, Sis?"

"I don't know," answered Rita, almost weeping. "I suppose Dic will go
away. He has more pride than--than the other. I suppose Mr. Williams
will stay. Tom, if you find an opportunity, I want you to tell Dic to
stay--tell him I want him to stay. He must stay with me until Williams
goes, even if it is all night. Please do this for me, brother, and I'll
do anything for you that you ask--I always do."

But Tom laughed, and said, "No, I'll not mix in. I like Dic; but, Sis,
you're a fool if you don't take Williams. The Tousy girls would jump at
him. They were at the tavern, and laughed at Dic's country ways."

Tom lied about the Tousy girls. They were splendid girls, and their
laughter had not been at Dic's country ways. In fact, the eldest Miss
Tousy had asked Tom the name of his handsome friend.

Tom left Rita, and her tears fell unheeded as she finished the
after-dinner work. For ten days she had looked forward to this Sund