round and then a pointed arch, with
forehead, knees, and elbows touching the floor. A brilliantly
executed manoeuvre closed his Gothic period, set him upright and
upon his feet; then, without ostentation, he proceeded to the
kitchen, where he found his mother polishing a sugar-bowl.

He challenged her with a damnatory gesture in the direction of the
music. "You hear what Cora's up to?"

Mrs. Madison's expression was disturbed; she gave her son a look
almost of appeal, and said, gently:

"I believe there's nothing precisely criminal in her getting Laura
to play for her. Laura's playing always soothes her when she feels
out of sorts--and--you weren't very considerate of her, Hedrick.
You upset her."

"Mentioning Ray Vilas, you mean?" he demanded.

"You weren't kind."

"She deserves it. Look at her! _You_ know why she's got Laura at
the piano now."

"It's--it's because you worried her," his mother faltered
evasively. "Besides, it is very hot, and Cora isn't as strong as
she looks. She said she felt morbid and----"

"Morbid? Blah!" interrupted the direct boy. "She's started after
this Corliss man just like she did for Vilas. If I was Dick
Lindley I wouldn't stand for Cora's----"

"Hedrick!" His mother checked his outburst pleadingly. "Cora has
so much harder time than the other girls; they're all so much
better off. They seem to get everything they want, just by asking:
nice clothes and jewellery--and automobiles. That seems to make a
great difference nowadays; they all seem to have automobiles.
We're so dreadfully poor, and Cora has to struggle so for what
good times she----"

"Her?" the boy jibed bitterly. "I don't see her doing any
particular struggling." He waved his hand in a wide gesture. "She
takes it _all_!"

"There, there!" the mother said, and, as if feeling the need of
placating this harsh judge, continued gently: "Cora isn't strong,
Hedrick, and she does have a hard time. Almost every one of the
other girls in her set is at the seashore or somewhere having a
gay summer. You don't realize, but it's mortifying to have to be
the only one to stay at home, with everybody knowing it's because
your father can't afford to send her. And this house is so
hopeless," Mrs. Madison went on, extending her plea hopefully;
"it's impossible to make it attractive, but Cora keeps trying and
trying: she was all morning on her knees gilding those chairs for
the music-room, poor child, and----"

"`Music-room'!" sne