the tempest in Dexie's breast, but she seemed to have lost her
persuasive power for the time.

Mr. Sherwood went at once to his wife's room to explain the cause of the
disturbance.

"How inconsiderate of Dexie to cause so much annoyance!" was her fretful
comment. "I am quite sure I shall have the headache, for the way she
slammed that door was enough to upset the strongest nerves. I thought of
going to the concert myself if I finished my book in time, but it seems my
fate to be robbed of all pleasure. Why don't you use your authority,
Clarence, and make her behave herself?"

"You must make some allowance for her, wife, for she feels much hurt over
that announcement. But the trouble is, what's to be done if she persists in
her determination not to appear? I might insist on her going to the hall,
but I doubt if I could make her whistle after she got there."

"Well, if you do not use your authority you need not ask me to interfere.
She has quite upset me as it is."

"It is not very often that she gets worked up like this. I believe she
controls her temper about as well as any of us. She seldom lets her tongue
loose as she used to do when things went wrong, but flies to her room and
fights it out alone. I expect those Gurneys have a good influence over our
wilful Dexie."

"Well, I suppose she does not see those mild, quiet girls fly into a
passion very often, and this tiresome concert is to blame for this
disturbance. I fear if she has made up her mind not to go, you may as well
leave her alone; so let the matter rest, it disturbs me," and Mrs. Sherwood
closed her eyes as if the subject had passed completely from her mind.

But Mr. Sherwood could not let the matter rest so easily, and his wife's
indifference annoyed him exceedingly.

"Confound their stupidity!" he exclaimed at last, beginning to see it with
Dexie's eyes. "They might have known that she would object to such an
announcement, but it will be an awkward thing if she does not appear after
all. I hope Aunt Jennie will bring her to reason."

"I hope so too, I'm sure," answered the wife with a sigh; "but Lancy Gurney
is as much interested in the matter as herself, and I believe he would make
her change her mind if anyone could."

"Well, I think I will run in and see if he is at home, but I'm afraid it
will make a bad matter worse."

A few minutes later Mr. Sherwood was standing in the parlor next door,
shaking hands with Mrs. Gurney.

"We don't seem t