, and with a quick action of his
resolute will applied himself to the present situation. "Oh Betty, you
don't know what you're missing! It's a sight you'll never forget as long
as you live... oh, come on! Be a sport. Take a chance!"

Betty was still suspicious of frivolity, but she rose, looked at her
wrist-watch and guessed she'd have a few minutes before dinner, to fool
away in light-minded society.

"There's nothing light-minded about this!" Penny assured her gravely,
leading her swiftly down the street, around the corner, up another
street and finally, motioning her to silence, up on the well-clipped
lawn of a handsome, dignified residence, set around with old trees.

"Look!" he whispered in her ear, dramatically pointing in through the
lighted window. "Look! What do you see?"

Betty looked, and looked again and turned on him petulantly:

"What foolishness are you up to now, Penfield Evans!" she whispered
energetically. "Why under the sun did you drag me out to see Emelene
and Alys Brewster-Smith dining with the Remingtons? Isn't it just
the combination of reactionary old fogies you might expect to get
together... though I didn't know Alys ever took her little girl out to
dinner-parties, and Emelene must be perfectly crazy over that cat to
take her here. Cats make George's flesh creep. Don't you remember, at
the Sunday School Bazaar."

He cut her short with a gesture of command, and applying his lips to her
ear so that he would not be heard inside the house, he said, "You think
all you see is Emelene and Alys taking dinner _en famille_ with
the Remingtons. Eyes that see not! What you are gazing upon is a
reconstruction of the blessed family life that existed in the good
old days, before the industrial period and the abominable practice
of economic independence for women began! You are seeing Woman in
her proper place, the Home,... if not her own Home, somebody's Home,
anybody's Home... the Home of the man nearest to her, who owes her
protection because she can't vote. You are gazing upon..."

His rounded periods were silenced by a tight clutch on his wrist.
"Penfield Evans. Don't you dare exaggerate to me! Have they come there
to stay! _To take him at his word!_"

He nodded solemnly.

"Their trunks are upstairs in the only two spare-rooms in the house,
and Frieda is installed in the only extra room in the attic. Marie gave
notice that she was going to quit, just before dinner. George has been
telephoning