nty-four. Such a decrepit old age!

The evening Jim planned to visit Polly and take Kenneth along for
Eleanor, Tom, to the surprise of his parents, spent the entire evening
with them; but he was not very attentive to what his mother said, nor did
he seem over-pleased with being at home.

Jim and Kenneth were noisy, active young college boys, and they furnished
lots of fun that evening, of the energetic, "center-rush" kind. But Polly
was relieved when they had said good-night and were gone.

Eleanor laughed at the way Jim "rough-housed" both girls when he tried to
kiss them good-night, and Polly indignantly told him he would never be
invited there again! Jim laughed and caught hold of Polly to shake her
for such a threat, but he smacked her loudly on the lips, instead.

As the two girls went upstairs to retire, Polly said: "I'm sure Jim
wouldn't have acted so silly if his big brother had been here!"

Eleanor then added: "We have such lovely evenings with Tom, that this
sort of horse-play gets on my nerves!" Then she slyly watched her
friend's expression to try and read her mind.

"I wonder why Tom never came in tonight?" said Polly.

"Jack Baxter met me this afternoon, and he says Tom goes uptown
regularly, to see a girl. Jack shadowed him and knows exactly where the
girl lives. But he didn't say I must not tell you," said Eleanor,
confidentially. Neither did she add that she had heard the address of
this "girl" and knew it to be Tom's home and mother.

Polly flushed, but said nonchalantly: "Poor Tom! He feels awfully bored
with us girls, at times!"

"I should think so! especially if he came home for a visit with the idea
of finding a nice girl to propose to. Now Jack thinks that Tom, with his
good looks, his wonderful intelligence, and his family-tree, to say
nothing of the Latimer fortune, ought to be able to take his pick of any
New York girl that is looking for an ideal husband," remarked Eleanor,
guilelessly.

Polly flashed her a look. "Since when has Jack Baxter dropped his
maligning of Tom Latimer, and started to admire him?"

Eleanor bit her lips to prevent a smile, but she replied, innocently:
"Why, Jack always did admire Tom, even when he met him at Pebbly Pit. But
he is jealous of him, for all the admiration he has for him. But I'll
tell you, Polly: I wouldn't trust Jack in a case of 'love or war.' He'd
as soon make Tom believe you were in love with another man, as anything
else, if he could win a