"I hate him. I've told you so. Or I should, if he was worth hating; as
it is I despise him thoroughly."

"That's good! That's one load off my mind. But, you see, Gertie--well,
when your mother and I first told you we'd made up our minds to come
back here, you--you stood up for him, and said he was aristocratic
and--and I don't know what all. That's what you said; and 'twas after
the Zuba business, too."

Gertrude regarded him wonderingly. "Said!" she repeated. "I said and
did all sorts of things. Daddy--Daddy, DEAR, is it possible you don't
understand yet that it was all make-believe?"

"All make-believe? What; your likin' Cousin Percy?"

"Yes, that and Mr. Holway and everything else--the whole of it. Haven't
you guessed it yet? It was all a sham; don't you see? When I came back
from college and found out exactly how things were going, I realized at
once that something must be done. You were miserable and neglected,
and Mother was under the influence of Mrs. Black and that empty-headed,
ridiculous Chapter and would-be society crowd of hers. I tried at first
to reason with her, but that was useless. She was too far gone for
reason. So I thought and thought until I had a plan. I believed if I
could show her, by my own example, how silly and ridiculous the kind
of people she associated with were, if I pretended to be as bad as the
worst of them, she would begin by seeing how ridiculous _I_ was, and be
frightened into realizing her own position. At any rate, she would be
forced into giving it all up to save me. Of course I didn't expect her
to be taken ill. When THAT happened I was SO conscience-stricken. I
thought I never should forgive myself. But it has turned out so well,
that even that is--"

"Gertie! Gertie Dott! stop where you are. Do you mean to tell me that
all your--your advancin' and dancin' and bridgin' and tea-in' and
Chapterin' was just--"

"Just make-believe, that's all. I hated it as much as you did; as much
as Mother does now."

"My SOUL! but--but it can't be! Cousin Percy--"

"Oh, do forget Cousin Percy! I was sure he was exactly what he was and
that he was using you and Mother as conveniences for providing him with
a home and luxuries which he was too worthless to work for. I was sure
of it, morally sure, but I made up my mind to find out. So I cultivated
him, and I cultivated his particular friends, and I did find out. I
pretended to like him--"

"Hold on! for mercy sakes, hold on! YOU prete