ces
of a few days? You are mad! I cannot possibly allow it. You must wire
at once to say that you are unable to accept."

Cornelia stood silently erect. Her chief personal characteristic was
that air of hot-house fragility so often seen in American girls, but in
that silence her chin squared, her lips set, the delicate brows
contracted in a beetling frown. It was no longer the face of a girl of
two-and-twenty which confronted the spinster across the bed; it was the
face of Edward B Briskett, the financier who had twice over piled up
great fortunes by sheer force and determination.

"Now see here, Aunt Soph," said Cornelia, clearly; "this is where you
and I have got to come to an understanding. I've been used to going my
own way ever since I was short-coated, and it wasn't hankering to be put
back into leading-strings that brought me across the ocean. Poppar
trusts me, and that's enough for me. You've got a right to boss your
own home, but where I'm concerned your authority don't spread one inch
beyond the gate. If I decide to accept an invitation, it's on my own
responsibility, and no matter what happens, _you_ won't be blamed! I've
decided to leave this at one twenty-five, and I'm _going_ to leave, if I
have to jump out of the window to get away! Now, that's straight, and
we know where we are!"

"I shall write to your father to-night, and tell him that you have gone
in defiance of my wishes."

"I guess it's the best thing you can do. Poppar'll cable back: `_Give
Corney her head; It's screwed on pretty straight_!' and you'll feel
easier in your mind." She paused a moment, her features softened into a
smile. Despite the force of her words, there had throughout been no
trace of ill-nature in her voice. Now she drew slowly nearer her aunt,
holding out her pretty, white hands in ingratiating appeal.

"See here, Aunt Soph, don't be mad! I'm sorry you take it like this,
for I've a feeling that it's just about the best thing that could happen
to both of us, for me to clear out for a spell just now. We've been a
bit fratchetty this last week; gotten on each other's nerves somehow--
but when I come back we can make a fresh start. In America, girls have
more liberty than over here; but there's not a mite of reason why we
should quarrel over it. You're my own Poppar's sister, and I came quite
a good way to see you. It's a pity if we ken't pull it off for the next
few months. Don't you want to kiss me, and