hat the grouch meant, she had not the faintest idea that Eleanor
was saying to herself, "Oh, if I could _only_ get rid of her!" And as no
one pointed out to Eleanor that the way to hold Maurice was not to get
rid of Edith, but to "open the door," that corrosive thing the girl had
called "Bingoism" kept the anger of the day in the field smoldering in
her mind. It was like a banked fire eating into her deepest
consciousness; it burned all that winter; it was still burning even when
the summer vacation came and Edith went home. Her departure was an
immense relief to Eleanor; she told Maurice she didn't want her to come
back, ever!

"Why not?" he said, sharply; "_I_ like having her here. Besides, think
of telling Uncle Henry we didn't want Edith next winter! If you have the
nerve for that, _I_ haven't." Eleanor had not the nerve; so when, at the
end of June, Edith rushed home, it was understood that she would be with
Maurice and Eleanor during the next term.... That was the summer that
marked the seventh year of their marriage--and the fourth year of Jacky,
over in the little frame house on Maple Street. But it was the first
year of a knowledge, surprisingly delayed!--which came to Edith; namely,
that Johnny Bennett was "queer."

It may have been this "queerness" which made her attach herself to
Eleanor, who, in August, went to Green Hill for the usual two weeks'
visit. Maurice had to go away on office business three or four times
during that fortnight, but he came up for one Sunday. He had insisted
upon Eleanor's going, because, he said, she needed the change. "Can't
you come?" she pleaded. "Do take some extra time from the office!"

"And be docked? Can't afford it!" he said; "but I'll get one week-end in
with you," he promised her, looking forward with real satisfaction to
the solitude of his own house. So Eleanor, saying she couldn't
understand why he was so awfully economical now that he had his own
money!--came alone,--full of remorse at deserting him, and worry because
of his loneliness, and leaving a pining Bingo behind her. But, to her
silent annoyance, as soon as she arrived at Green Hill she encountered a
new and tiresome attentiveness from Edith! Edith was inescapably polite.
She did not urge upon Eleanor any of those strenuous amusements to which
she and Johnny were devoted; she merely gave up the amusements, and, as
Johnny expressed it, "stuck to Eleanor"! Eleanor couldn't understand it,
and when Maurice at l