do, I'm going over to Mary Bevis's, and you
can make whatever apologies you like!"

"Of course he won't go," said Elsie, with spirit. "The only thing to do
is to ignore it entirely. And of course you'll come down."

Sally had resumed her ruffled calling costume, and was now pinning on
an effective hat. Her mouth was set.

"Please!" pleaded her sister, inserting a gold bracelet tenderly
between George's little jaws, without moving her eyes from Sally.

"I will not!" said Sally. "I never want to see him again--superior,
big, calm codfish--too lofty to care what any one says about him! I
don't like a man you can walk on, anyway!" She began to pack things in
a suit-case--beribboned night-wear, slippers, powder, and small jars.
Presently, hasping these things firmly in, she went to the door, and
opened it a cautious crack.

"Where are they?" she asked.

"I don't know," said Mrs. Ferdie, dispiritedly. "I think you're very
mean!"

The bedrooms of the Ferdies' house opened in charming Southern fashion
upon open balconies, over whose slender rails one could look straight
into the hall below. Sally listened intently.

"What a horrible plan this house is built upon!" she said heartily.
"Nothing in the world is more humiliating than to have to sneak about
one's own house like a thief, afraid of being seen! Where's the
motor--at the side door? Good. I'll run it over to the Bevises' myself,
and Billy can come back with it. That is, I will if I can manage to get
to the side door. Those idiots of men are apparently looking at Ferd's
rods and tackle, right down there in the hall! I can distinctly hear
their voices! I wish Ferd had thought of situations like this when he
planned this silly balcony business! The minute I open this door
they'll look up; and I'll stay up here a week rather than meet them!"

"They'll go out soon," said Elsie, soothingly, as she removed a
shoe-horn from contact with George's mouth.

"I knew Ferd would regret this balcony!" pursued Sally, eyes to the
crack.

"Ferdie's not regretting it!" tittered her sister.

Sally cast her a withering glance. Elsie devoted herself suddenly to
George.

"Go down and lure them into the garden," pleaded Sally, presently.

Elsie obligingly picked up her son and departed, but Sally, watching
her go, was infuriated to notice that a mild request from George's
nurse, who met them in the hall, apparently drove all thoughts of
Sally's predicament from the little mother