y?"

"Cecile!" said her mother mildly.

"Yes, mother--I forgot that I'm not allowed to bet, but if I was--"

Shiela, exasperated, looked at her mother, who shook her head and rose
from the table, taking Hamil's arm.

"You little imp!" breathed Shiela fiercely to Cecile, "if you plague me
again I'll inform Mr. Hamil of what happened to you this morning."

"I don't care; Garry is part of the family," retorted Cecile, flushed
but defiant and not exactly daring to add: "or will be soon." Then she
put both arms around Shiela, and holding her imprisoned:

"_Are_ you in love?--you darling!" she whispered persuasively. "Oh,
don't commit yourself if you feel _that_ way!... And, O Shiela, you
should have seen Phil Gatewood following me in love-smitten hops when I
wouldn't listen! My dear, the creature managed to plant both feet on my
gown as I fled, and the parquet is _so_ slippery and the gown so flimsy
and, oh, there was a dreadful ripping sound and we both went down--"

Shiela was laughing now, holding her sister's gesticulating hands, as
she rattled on excitedly:

"I got to my feet in a blaze of fury, holding my gown on with both
hands--"

"Cissy!"

"And he gave one horror-stricken look and ran--"

Swaying there together in the deserted dining-room, they gave way to
uncontrolled laughter. Laughter rang out from the living-room, too,
where Gray was informing Mrs. Cardross and Hamil of the untoward climax
to a spring-time wooing; and when Shiela and Cecile came in the latter
looked suspiciously at Hamil, requesting to know the reason of his
mirth.

"Somebody will have to whisper it to you in rhyme," said Hamil; "it's
not fit for prose, Cissy."

Mrs. Cardross retired early. Gray went for a spin in his motor. Cecile,
mischievously persuaded that Hamil desired to have Shiela to himself for
half an hour, stifled her yawns and bedward inclinations and remained
primly near them until Gray returned.

Then the four played innocuous Bridge whist until Cecile's yawns could
no longer be disguised; and finally Gray rose in disgust when she
ignored the heart-convention and led him an unlovely spade.

"How many kinds of a chump can you be in one day?" asked her wrathful
brother.

"Pons longa, vita brevis," observed Hamil, intensely amused. "Don't sit
on her, Gray."

"O dear! O dear!" said Cecile calmly, "I'd rather be stepped on again
than sat on like that!"

"You're a sweet little thing anyway," said Hamil, "even if