nd Dallas said he had a pull, because his mill controlled I forget how many votes, and the thing to do was to be quiet and comfortable and we would get out in the morning. Max took it as a huge

the stairs, and sat there with his head in his hand

s pocketbook and offer a crisp bundle of bills. But the man from the board of health only smiled and tacked

a lump in my throat. "I'm going to get out throu

ng up and almost dropping her amm

but Anne Brown was getting over her tea

aid. "I was going to stay at

Dallas broke in. "There'll

Dal," I said icily. "There will be plenty

cried at once. The Merc

ging up his overcoat. "Do you mean-why, I

and tend fires and empty ash pans, and when you are not doing any of

the storm beat around me, and tried to look perfectly cold and indifferent, and not to see Mr. Harbison

nniversary of a divorce-especially-" Here he caught Jim's eye and

me at once and overwhelmed me, while Anne was crying and saying she wouldn't cook if she starved for it, and Aunt Selina was takin

er once we are vaccinated, and many hands make light work. They are pretty raw

different," I said. And it was. Bella and w

hiro! Or if I had only run to the basement the moment the house was quarantined, and got her out the areaway or the coal hole! And now time was flying

ourse, the first thing suggested was that we all adjourn below stairs and clean up after

t a lark!" And they actually began to pin up t

u do that. We'll get some servants in tomorrow. I'll go down and p

akfast. In the midst of the excitement I slipped away to carry the news to Bella. She was where I

wo hours; and that I have gone through agonies of nervousness for

her. "Everybody knows you loathe him-Jim, to

all, he will clear out every maid in the house. I never saw such a kitchen in all my lif

have to tell her. Personally, I would much

happened. You know this is the anniversary-well, you know what

een, Kit. What's the matter? You needn't think I mind be

nce," I blurted. "Smallpox. We-Be

as-hysteria. She always had attacks like that when things went wrong. I was quite despairing by that time; I hoped they would all hear her and come downstairs and take her up and put her to bed like a Ch

osition I am in? I am not going upstairs to face Anne and

rough?" I asked desperately. "Locking

because I was playing Bella in the performance, and I didn't care to have an understudy. Then the situation dawned on her, and she sat down and laughed herself weak in

d worn at the Clevelands' dinner, and I in cream lace, the skirt gathered up from the kitchen floor,

in a corner and led the way through a narrow hall past the refrigerating room, to a huge, cemented

lder, excitedly. "I can get out easily

s, rasping noises that fairly frayed the silk of my nerves. We stood petrified for an instant

was a portly policeman, with a newspaper and an empty plate on the floor on one side, and a champagne bottle on the other. He had slid do

rtor Resartus, the arrester arreste

ring to yawn noisily, and we beat a hasty retreat. Bella switched off the lights in a hurry and locked the door behind us. We hard

mly. "Let him help you out. I'm sure I don't see

u know what he would think. He-oh, Kit, let them all get settled for the night, an

," I debated, "what

isten! There's Jim up in the pan

I met Jimmy, very crumpled as to

mally. "I thought you had added to the general merr

ow that I had time to think about

pted different tactics. He took advantage of my catching my foot in the

d miserably. "In the first place, for all you are dow

sed to

went on, "and-oh, I know you meant well, Kit

. "I did NOT give Takahiro smallpox, for instance, and-if you wil

course now they want all kinds of things-when they were talking, Aunt Selina said she knew YOU would get it, being the hostess, and responsible, besides knowing where things are kept." He had fixed his eyes on the orchids, and he looked shrunke

ourse I'll fix trays and carry them up in the morning to Anne Brown and

a and her money can go to blazes. I am going right upstairs and tell her the tru

hey think of me? After letting her call me Bella, and him-Jim, if Mr. Harbison ever learns the truth-I-I will tak

," he said, more cheerfully, "and there will be room enough, I think. Harbison and I will hang

one else would undertake-any unpleasant responsibility-that entire mongrel household turned with one gestu

ink) that my interview with Jimmy should have a sensational ending. He was terribly d

"If I were not so damnably, hopelessly, idiotically i

"Would you mind letting my hand

ong so well. It's a shame to let a thing like this mak

ay, I don't want ever to see you again. I was

her eyes protruding until you could have knocked them off with

way you speak to your husband! It is high time I

ish grin. "Kit-Bella is tired and nervous. This is a

led the unlucky Harbison man through the door an

le knocked from the tree of lov

ward the door; "a-a green apple, Aunt Selina, a colic

y, "you said you loathed

lly. "There isn't any word to

sing room and locked myself in. Aunt Selina knocked

Anne Brown's pear