phrase from mother
is ridiculously pleasing to me. May I sit down?"

"Of course. Do."

He approached the sofa, but before throwing himself into one of its
inviting corners, manlike he placed one of the large sofa pillows rather
gingerly on the floor against a table-leg. Behind the pillow appeared
the book.

"Hello," he exclaimed, "what's this?" And he held it up.

I put out my hand. "I'll take it, thank you," I said.

"Whose is this, anyhow?" he asked, opening the book instead of passing
it over to me. "Looks like Ruth's marks." Then after a pause, "_Is_ it
Ruth's?"

"I don't know. Perhaps."

"She shouldn't read stuff like this!" pronounced the young judge.

"Oh, Ruth has always read everything she wanted to."

"Yes, I suppose so--more's the pity--best-sellers, anything that's
going. But _this_--_this!_ It's not decent for her, for any girl. I
don't believe in this modern idea of exposure, anyhow. But here she
comes." His face lighted. He put aside the book. "Here Ruth comes!"
And he went out into the hall to meet her.

I heard the front door open, the rustle of a greeting, and a moment
later my sister and Robert Jennings both came in.

Ruth had become a shining roseate creature. Always beautiful, always
exquisite--flawless features, perfect poise, now she pulsated with life.
A new brightness glowed in her eyes. Of late across her cheeks color was
wont to come and go like the shadow of clouds on a hillside on a windy
day. Even her voice, usually steady and controlled, now and again
trembled and broke with sudden emotion. She came into the room smiling,
very pretty, very lovely (could we really be children of the same
parents?), with a pink rose slipped into the opening of her coat. She
drew out her rose and came over and passed it to me.

"There," she said, "it's for you, Lucy. I bought it especially!" Such a
strange new Ruth! Once so worldly, so selfish; now so sweet and full of
queer tenderness. I hardly recognized her. "It's heavenly out-doors,"
she went on. "I'll be back in a minute." And she went out into the hall
to take off her hat and coat.

Robert went over to the book he had laid on the table and picked it up.
When Ruth joined us he inquired pleasantly, "Where in the world did you
run across this, Ruth?"

"That?" she smiled. "Oh, I bought it. Everybody is talking about it, and
I bought it. It isn't so bad. Some parts are really very nice. I've
marked a few I liked."

"Why, Ruth," he said s