not that kind of a girl. They know that money does n't mean
anything to her--and what's more, they 've been forced to see that
Anita ain't going to turn handsprings just for the back-action honor of
marrying a Rodaine. Anita could marry a lot richer fellows than
Maurice Rodaine ever dreamed of being, if she wanted to--and there
wouldn't be any scoundrel of a father, or any graveyard wandering,
crazy mother to go into the bargain. And they realize it. But they
realize too, that there ain't a chance of them losing out as long as
her father's happiness depends on doing what they want her to do. So,
after all, ain't it easy to see the whole thing?"

"To you, possibly. But not to me."

Mother Howard pressed her lips in exasperation.

"Just go back over it," she recapitulated. "She got mad at him at the
dance last night, did n't she? He 'd done something rude--from the way
you tell it. Then you sashayed up and asked her to dance every dance
with you. You don't suppose that was because you were so tall and
handsome, do you?"

"Well--" Fairchild smiled ruefully--"I was hoping that it was because
she rather liked me."

"Suppose it was? But she rather likes a lot of people. You understand
women just like a pig understands Sunday--you don't know anything about
'em. She was mad at Maurice Rodaine and she wanted to give him a
lesson. She never thought about the consequences. After the dance was
over, just like the sniveling little coward he is, he got his father
and went to the Richmond house. There they began laying out the old
man because he had permitted his daughter to do such a disgraceful
thing as to dance with a man she wanted to dance with instead of
kowtowing and butting her head against the floor every time Maurice
Rodaine crooked his finger. And they were n't gentle about it. What
was the result? Poor old Judge Richmond got excited and had another
stroke. And what did Anita do naturally--just like a woman? She got
the high-strikes and then you came rushing in. After that, she calmed
down and had a minute to think of what might be before her. That
stroke last night was the second one for the Judge. There usually
ain't any more after the third one. Now, can't you see why Anita is
willing to do anything on earth just to keep peace and just to give her
father a little rest and comfort and happiness in the last days of his
life? You 've got to remember that he ain't like an ordinary father
that