l. It Struck the
grass, bounced, and came rolling to Mrs. Balcome's feet.

"Here she is!" whispered Balcome.

"_Sneaking_ in!" accused his wife.

Now, the white door swung wide to the sound of motor chugging, and a
hop came trundling across the lawn. Next, Sue appeared, backing, for
her arms were full of bundles. She dropped one or two as she came.
"Oh, there you go again!" she laughed. "Oh, butter-fingers!"

"Goo-oo-ood-morning!" began Mrs. Balcome, portentously.

Sue turned a startled face over a shoulder. And at once she was only a
small girl caught in naughtiness. "Oh,--er--ah--good-morning," she
stammered. "I--er--I've got everything but the kitchen stove." She
made to a bench and let all her purchases fall. "Mrs.
Balcome,--how--how is mother?"

"You care a lot about your poor mother!" retorted Mrs. Balcome.
"You'll send her gray hairs in sorrow to the grave!"

Balcome winked at Sue. "Hebrews, ten, thirty-six," he reminded
roguishly. "'For ye have need of patience.'"

"Well, dear lady, just what have I done?" Sue sank among the packages.

"I say you're responsible for this--this unfortunate turn of affairs."

"If you'd only let things alone yesterday," broke in Wallace; "if you'd
stayed at home, and minded your own affairs."

"So you could have deceived Hattie."

"No! You've no right to call it deception. That's one of your
new-woman ideas. This is something that happened long ago, before I
ever met Hattie--and it's sacred----"

Hattie burst out laughing. "Sacred!" she cried. "Of course--an affair
with the wife of your host!"

"Hattie!" warned Mrs. Balcome.

But Hattie ignored her mother. "What a disgusting argument!" she went
on. "What a cowardly excuse!"

Matters were taking a most undesirable turn. To change their course,
Mrs. Balcome swung round upon Sue. "Why did you send Dora for that
child?"

"What has the poor child to do with it?"

"Ah! You see, Wallace? It was all done purposely. So that Hattie
would decide against you. What does Susan Milo care that you'll be
mortified? That Hattie's life will be spoiled?" (Hattie smiled.)
"That I'll have to explain and lie?"

"Ha! Ha!--Lie!" chuckled Balcome.

"Don't you see that she's not thinking of you, Hattie? That you'll
have to pack up and go home?--Oh, it's dreadful! Dreadful!"

"Yes," answered Hattie. "It would be dreadful--to have to go home."

Mrs. Balcome did not seem to hear. She was waving a hand a