to
turn up his coat collar. "Oh, come now----" he began nervously.

"George Hollanden," said the voice at his shoulder, "you are not only
disagreeable, but you are hopelessly ridiculous. I--I wish you would
never speak to me again!"

"Oh, come now, Grace, don't--don't---- Look! There's the stage coming,
isn't it?"

"No, the stage is not coming. I wish--I wish you were at the bottom of
the sea, George Hollanden. And--and Mr. Hawker, too. There!"

"Oh, bless my soul! And all about an infernal dog," wailed Hollanden.
"Look! Honest, now, there's the stage. See it? See it?"

"It isn't there at all," she said.

Gradually he seemed to recover his courage. "What made you so
tremendously angry? I don't see why."

After consideration, she said decisively, "Well, because."

"That's why I teased you," he rejoined.

"Well, because--because----"

"Go on," he told her finally. "You are doing very well." He waited
patiently.

"Well," she said, "it is dreadful to defend somebody so--so excitedly,
and then have it turned out just a tease. I don't know what he would
think."

"Who would think?"

"Why--he."

"What could he think? Now, what could he think? Why," said Hollanden,
waxing eloquent, "he couldn't under any circumstances think--think
anything at all. Now, could he?"

She made no reply.

"Could he?"

She was apparently reflecting.

"Under any circumstances," persisted Hollanden, "he couldn't think
anything at all. Now, could he?"

"No," she said.

"Well, why are you angry at me, then?"

CHAPTER XI.

"John," said the old mother, from the profound mufflings of the pillow
and quilts.

"What?" said the old man. He was tugging at his right boot, and his tone
was very irascible.

"I think William's changed a good deal."

"Well, what if he has?" replied the father, in another burst of
ill-temper. He was then tugging at his left boot.

"Yes, I'm afraid he's changed a good deal," said the muffled voice from
the bed. "He's got a good many fine friends, now, John--folks what put
on a good many airs; and he don't care for his home like he did."

"Oh, well, I don't guess he's changed very much," said the old man
cheerfully. He was now free of both boots.

She raised herself on an elbow and looked out with a troubled face.
"John, I think he likes that girl."

"What girl?" said he.

"What girl? Why, that awful handsome girl you see around--of course."

"Do you think he likes 'er?"

"I'm afraid