empt. Linda was so
familiar with every move that Eileen made, so thoroughly understood that
there was a motive back of her every action, that she could not see why
John Gilman, having known her from childhood, should not understand her
also.

She had decided that the time had come when she would force Eileen to
give her an allowance, however small, for her own personal expenses,
that she must in some way manage to be clothed so that she was not a
matter of comment even among the boys of her school, and she could see
no reason why the absolute personal liberty she always had enjoyed so
long as she disappeared when Eileen did not want her and appeared when
she did, should not extend to her own convenience as well as Eileen's.

Life was a busy affair for Linda. She had not time to watch Marian's
train from sight. She must hurry to the nearest street car and make all
possible haste or she would be late for her classes. Throughout the day
she worked with the deepest concentration, but she could not keep down
the knowledge that Eileen would have things to say, possibly things to
do, when they met that evening, for Eileen was capable of disconcerting
hysteria. Previously Linda had remained stubbornly silent during any
tirade in which Eileen chose to indulge. She had allowed herself to be
nagged into doing many things that she despised, because she would not
assert herself against apparent injustice. But since she had come fully
to realize the results of Eileen's course of action for Marian and for
herself, she was deliberately arriving at the conclusion that hereafter
she would speak when she had a defense, and she would make it her
business to let the sun shine on any dark spot that she discovered in
Eileen.

Linda knew that if John Gilman were well acquainted with Eileen, he
could not come any nearer to loving her than she did. Such an idea as
loving Eileen never had entered Linda's thoughts. To Linda, Eileen was
not lovable. That she should be expected to love her because they had
the same parents and lived in the same home seemed absurd. She was
slightly disappointed, on reaching home, to find that Eileen was not
there.

"Will the lady of the house dine with us this evening? she asked as she
stood eating an apple in the kitchen.

"She didn't say," answered Katy. "Have ye had it out about last night
yet?"

"No," answered Linda. "That is why I was asking about her. I want to
clear the atmosphere before I make my new