did not know how to cope with this kind of woman. Mrs.
Bryce made her feel a clumsy fool, a sort of country bumpkin.

"This isn't my job anyway, it's Wally's. He is guiding Isabelle's
destiny this summer. Didn't he tell you?"

"Yes, but I thought the child's mother would naturally want to say----"
blundered Ann.

"Well, her mother doesn't. Do anything you can to make her less of a
nuisance, that's my only advice."

It was clear that the interview was ended, so Ann rose. With glowing
appeal Mrs. Bryce turned her pretty face, with its sudden smile, upon
the girl.

"Nice, kind Miss Barnes, don't bother me about Isabelle, will you? She
bores me to death."

Ann got out of the room somehow. She felt cold shivers down her spine,
as if she had touched something revolting. She thought of _her_ mother,
and Jinny, the little sister nearest Isabelle's age. She was so homesick
for them, she just thought she would die. She went to the nursery where
she had left Isabelle, and, as she entered, the child was shaking hands
with an imaginary guest, saying in perfect imitation of her mother's
manner: "Oh, howdye do, Mrs. Page?"

"Dorothy and Reginald and I are having a bridge party," she explained.

But Ann didn't listen. She just picked Isabelle up in her arms, and
hugged her tight, kissing her over and over again.

"You poor baby--you poor little mite!" she said over and over.

But after the first shock of surprise, Isabelle rebelled.

"Don't! Put me down! I don't like to be kissed!" she cried.

Ann set her down and knelt before her.

"Why don't you like to be kissed?" she demanded.

"Because"--defiantly.

"Isabelle, have you ever been rocked and sung to and tucked into bed at
night?"

Isabelle shook her head, her big eyes fixed on Ann's face, so full of
emotion.

"Did you ever have anybody tickle you awake, in the morning, and kiss
you until you laughed?"

The child shook her head again.

"It's a shame!" cried Ann. "Why Jinny gets kissed a hundred times a day
by everybody."

"Who's Jinny?"

"My little sister, who is your age."

"Where is she?"

"In my home, up in Vermont."

"What does she do?"

"Sit down, and I'll tell you about her."

Isabelle promptly sat down on the floor beside Ann.

"In the morning, after breakfast, she picks up the papers and school
books and toys and things the children leave around----"

"What children?"

"My other brothers and sisters. There's Walter and Helen and Tommy