emulous, and her expression was
that of a woman who feels herself sadly abused and who is about to
indulge in luxurious weeping.

"But, Horace, to sell this house over my head--what will p-people say?"

"I don't care two whoops what people say," Mr. Gower replied
unfeelingly.

"This is simp-ply outrageous! How is Betty going to m-meet p-people?"

"You mean," her husband retorted, "how are you going to contrive the
proper background against which Betty shall display her charms to the
different varieties of saphead which you hit upon as being eligible to
marry her? Don't worry. With the carefully conserved means at your
disposal you will still be able to maintain yourself in the station in
which it has pleased God to place you. You will be able to see that
Betty has the proper advantages."

This straw broke the camel's back, if it is proper so to speak of a
middle-aged, delicate-featured lady, delightfully gowned and coiffed
and manicured. Mrs. Gower's grief waxed crescendo. Whereupon her
husband, with no manifest change of expression beyond an unpleasant
narrowing of his eyes, heaved his short, flesh-burdened body out of the
chair and left the room.

Betty had sat silent through this conversation, a look of profound
distaste slowly gathering on her fresh young face. She gazed after her
father. When the door closed upon him Betty's gray eyes came to rest on
her mother's bowed head and shaking shoulders. There was nothing in
Betty Gower's expression which remotely suggested sympathy. She said
nothing. She leaned her elbows on the table and rested her pretty chin
in her cupped palms.

Mrs. Gower presently became aware of this detached, observing, almost
critical attitude.

"Your f-father is p-positively b-brutal," she found voice to declare.

"There are various sorts of brutality," Betty observed enigmatically. "I
don't think daddy has a corner on the visible supply. Are you going to
let him have that money?"

"No. Never," Mrs. Gower snapped.

"You may lose a great deal more than the house by that," Betty murmured.

But if Mrs. Gower heard the words they conveyed no meaning to her
agitated mind. She was rapidly approaching that incomprehensible state
in which a woman laughs and cries in the same breath, and Betty got up
with a faintly contemptuous curl to her red lips. She went out into the
hall and pressed a button. A maid materialized.

"Go into the dining room and attend to mamma, if you please, Mary,"
B