int to her caller of her own complicity in the
situation Mrs. West deplored, at the bar of her own conscience she made
no effort to disclaim the responsibility. It helped to ease the hurt
due to the revelation of Thomas' weakness to busy her thoughts with
other people.

"If they do take each other it's got to be for better instead of worse.
I made that match without meaning to, but as long as I had a hand in
it, I'm going to see that both of 'em behave."

CHAPTER XIII

THE MAIL BAG

"I should 'most think you'd have to give up the dressmaking business or
else hire a secretary. It takes considerable time to attend to such a
correspondence as you're getting to have."

Joel slammed a bunch of letters down upon the table, his ill-temper
expressing itself as naively as that of a child. Nor was its occasion
a mystery to his sister. Numerous letters marked the recipient as an
individual of consequence. Joel's mail was limited to communications
from the distributors of quack remedies to whom he had communicated his
symptoms in accordance with instructions set forth in their
benevolently inquisitive advertisements. When Persis received several
letters on the same mail, the possibility that he might be a person of
secondary importance in the establishment presented itself to Joel with
disquieting force.

"Like enough they're from some of my customers asking when I can spare
'em a little extra time," Persis suggested soothingly.

"No, they ain't. Least ways some of 'em are from men. And I must say,
Persis, it don't look well, your carrying on a correspondence with two
or three men-folks and your own brother not know anything about it. As
the poet says:

"'A lost good name is ne'er retrieved.'

"Who's this that's writing you from the Clematis House, anyway?"

"I haven't looked to see," Persis replied dryly, but her comely face
took on color.

"Looks bad when a man right in the same town's ashamed to say what he's
got to say to your face. Has to seal it up in an envelope. If you
were a little readier to ask advice, Persis, it would be better for
you. You women, sheltered and guarded all your lives, ain't expected
to know much about the world, and if you just won't seek counsel from
them that's able to give it, of course some unscrupulous rapscallion is
going to make fools of you."

"Well, Joel," Persis promised with unimpaired good humor, "if I ever
get in a tight place where I need your advice,