t cats."

"That's rather queer!" said Tom suddenly, "for her husband bred
wire-haired terriers. Colonel Crofton sold Flick to Godfrey Radmore last
year--don't you remember?"

He appealed to Betty, who always remembered everything.

"Yes," she said quietly, "I was just thinking of that. Colonel Crofton
wrote Timmy such a nice letter telling him how to manage Flick. It does
seem strange that she should have that feeling about dogs."

Again Timmy's shrill voice rose in challenge. "I should hate _my_ wife
not to like dogs," he cried pugnaciously.

"It'll take you all your time to make her like _you_, old man," observed
Tom.

"I've asked her in to supper to-night," went on Dolly, in her slow,
deliberate way, "so we shall have to have Flick locked up."

"Whatever made you ask her to supper, Doll?" asked Jack sharply.

Jack Tosswill had a hard, rather limited nature, but he was very fond
of his home, and unlike most young men, he had a curious dislike to the
presence of strangers there. This was unfortunate, for his step-mother was
very hospitable, and even now, though life had become a real struggle as
to ways and means, she often asked people in to meals.

"Her cook didn't turn up," exclaimed Dolly. "And when she asked me if I
knew of any woman in the village who could come in and cook dinner for
her this evening, I said I was sure Janet would like her to come in and
have supper."

"And I hope," chimed in Rosamund decidedly, "that we shall all dress for
dinner. Why should she think us a hugger-mugger family?"

"I don't mean to change. I shall only wash my hands!" This from Timmy,
who was always allowed to sit up to dinner. His brothers and sisters were
too fond of their step-mother to say how absurdly uncalled-for they
thought this privilege.

As everyone pretended not to have heard his remark, Timmy repeated
obstinately: "I shall only wash my hands."

"Mrs. Crofton won't care how _you_ look," observed Jack irritably. "If we
didn't now live in such a huggery-muggery way, I should always dress. I
do everywhere else."

Betty looked at him, and her face deadened. Though she would hardly have
admitted it, even to herself, she regretted the way in which everything
at Old Place was now allowed to go "slack." She knew it to be bad for her
sisters. It wasn't as if they did any real housework or gave useful help
in the kitchen. Dolly tried to do so in a desultory way, but in the end
it was she, Betty, who kept everyt