to shake himself to realize that these
were real people, they were so individualized, so emphasized, like
characters in a play.

"I am always glad to welcome my daughter's old friends," he said. "I
forget when it was you knew each other, my dear."

"At college."

"Ah, yes, I remember. In college. How is your sister?"

"My sister?" repeated Strong. Bambi gasped. She had forgotten to tell
him about Mary.

"I refer to your sister Mary," the Professor went on.

"Oh, sister Mary? Oh----" Strong recovered himself.

"You have other sisters?"

"Yes, oh, yes. Many."

"Many, indeed! How many, may I ask?"

"Thirteen," at a venture.

"Thirteen sisters! That is astonishing! And you are the only brother?"

"The only one."

"Are they all living?"

"No. All dead."

"Not Mary?" exclaimed Bambi.

"No, no, I meant to omit Mary. All but Mary are gone."

"That is very sad," sighed the Professor. "Thirteen sisters! How were
they named?"

"After the thirteen original states," replied Ananias Strong.

"Extraordinary, but Mary----"

"Short for Maryland," prompted Strong.

Bambi almost choked. The subject seemed to fascinate her father.

"Is Mary married?" he inquired.

"Yes, quite. Quite married."

"I forget whether she visited us, my dear."

"No, Mary never came to Sunnyside."

"What a pity the friendships of our young days pass away, isn't it?"

"Not at all. It's a blessing," snapped Jarvis. "When you think of all
the donkeys you played with in your youth----"

"Mary was not a donkey," giggled Bambi.

"I wasn't speaking of Mary," he remarked.

"I thought you said you were going to lunch in your room to-day, Jarvis,"
the Professor remarked.

"That was yesterday," Bambi said quickly.

"Oh, I can never remember details."

"I thought that was what you did remember," challenged Jarvis.

"You refer to figures. They, are not details. They are of enormous
importance," began Professor Parkhurst.

"Now, children, let us not trot out the family skeleton. The 'Heavenly
Twins' can talk from now until doomsday tolls on the importance or
non-importance of mathematics. It's as thrilling as modern warfare when
they get started, but I can't afford to let them go, because they get
so excited."

"Luncheon am served, Miss Bambi," announced Ardelia.

Bambi led the way, with a sigh of relief. If she could only get through
with it, and get the happy family out of the way! Jarvis must be
punished for bad behaviour,