se when the finger-bowls came on. It seemed a shame to me to waste two
perfectly good courses, and unnecessarily sensational to interrupt the
ceremony of a Sunday dinner. But it was impossible to sit there through
two protracted changes of plates.

"I guess we've all had enough," remarked Tom, disgustedly shoving away
that innocent piece of duck. We rose stragglingly.

"I don't care to talk about this thing any more," said Ruth, as we
passed through the hall. "You can thrash it out by yourselves. Lucy, you
can represent me!" And she turned away to go upstairs.

Tom called back, "No, Ruth. This is an occasion that requires your
presence, whether you like it or not," he said. "Come back, please.
There are a few questions that need to be settled."

Ruth acquiesced condescendingly. "Oh, very well," she replied, and
strolled down the stairs and into the library. She walked over to the
table and leaned, half sitting, against it, while the rest of us came in
and sat down, and some one closed the doors.

"Fire away!" she said flippantly, turning to Tom. She picked up an ivory
paper-cutter with a tassel on one end, twisted the cord tight, and then
holding the cutter up by the tassel watched it whirl and untwist.

Pretty, graceful, nonchalant, armored in a half smile, Ruth stood before
her inquisitors. Bob never would have recognized this composed and
unmoved girl as the anxious Ruth who had tried so hard to please and
satisfy.

"First," began Tom (he has always held the position of high judge in our
family), "first, I should be interested to know if you have any plans
for the future, and, if so, will you be kind enough to tell us what they
may be."

"I have plans," said Ruth, and began twisting the cord of the
paper-cutter again.

"Will you put that down, please," requested Tom.

"Certainly," Ruth smiled over-obligingly and laid the paper-cutter on
the table. She folded her arms and began tapping the rug with her toe.
She was almost insolent.

"Well, then--what are your plans?" fired Tom at her with an obvious
effort to control himself.

"New York," she announced mysteriously.

"Oh, New York!" repeated Tom. It was a scornful voice. "New York! And
what do you intend to do in New York?"

"Oh, I don't know. I haven't decided. Something," she said airily.

"Ruth," said Tom, "please listen to me carefully if you can for a
minute. We've always given you a pretty loose rein. Haven't we?"

Ruth shrugged her shoulders