ather for the time being, and could not be
found by telephone; so Julia was received by Barbara and the two younger
girls, who were not inclined to make light of the event.

"Four years younger than Sally!" said Constance, not for the first time.

"It's not _that_," Barbara contributed disgustedly. "But he's only
nineteen--not of age, even! And he hasn't one single penny! Why, Mrs.
Carter was thinking of sending him abroad for two years' work with his
music. I _see_ her doing it now! Little sloppy-haired, conceited idiot,
that's what _he_ is!"

"And Richie says he'll have to have his mother's consent before he can
marry her," said Jane with a virtuous air.

"It's too disgusting!" Barbara added, giving Jane a sharp glance. "And
you oughtn't talk that way, Jane; it doesn't sound very well in a girl
your age to talk about any one's having to marry any one!"

"I know this," said Constance gloomily. "It's going to give this family
a horrible black eye. A fine chance we'll have to marry, we younger
ones, with Sally disgracing every one this way!" Constance was the
handsomest of all the Tolands, and felt keenly the disadvantages of
being the youngest of four unmarried sisters.

"Don't worry about your marriage until it comes along, Con," said
Barbara wearily.

"I'll bet I marry before you do!" said Constance, without venom.

"I long ago made up my mind never to marry at all," Barbara said, with a
bored air. Julia chuckled.

"It is so funny to hear you go at each other," she explained. "It sounds
so cross--and it really isn't at all! Don't worry, Miss Toland," she
added soothingly, "Miss Sally wouldn't marry him if she didn't love
him--"

"Oh, she loves him fast enough!" Barbara admitted, consoled.

"And if people love each other, it's all right," Julia went on. Barbara
sighed.

"Oh, I hope it is, Julia!" said she, as conscious of the little
familiarity for all her abstracted air as Julia was, and suspecting that
it thrilled Julia, as indeed it did.

"And it's all the result of idleness, that's what it is, and that's what
I've been telling your mother," said Miss Toland, coming in. "You've all
got nothing to do except sit about and think how bored you are!"

"Oh, Auntie, aren't you low?" Barbara said tranquilly, going to take an
arm of her chair. "All sorts of people elope--there's nothing so
disgraceful in _that_."

"It's disgraceful considering what a father you've got, and what a
mother!" Miss Toland said