"No, that's just it!" she cried. "And papa had never even heard the
name of Vertrees! Mrs. Vertrees went with some anti-smoke committee
to see him, and he told her that smoke was what made her husband bring
home his wages from the pay-roll on Saturday night! HE told us about
it, and I thought I just couldn't live through the night, I was so
ashamed! Mr. Vertrees has always lived on his income, and papa didn't
know him, of course. They're the stiffist, most elegant people in the
whole town. And to crown it all, papa went and bought the next lot to
the old Vertrees country mansion--it's in the very heart of the best
new residence district now, and that's where the New House is, right
next door to them--and I must say it makes their place look rather
shabby! I met Mary Vertrees when I joined the Mission Service
Helpers, but she never did any more than just barely bow to me, and
since papa's break I doubt if she'll do that! They haven't called."

"And you think if I spread this gossip about Vertrees the First
stealing Dan'l Boone's gun, the chances that they WILL call--"

"Papa knows what a break he made with Mrs. Vertrees. I made him
understand that," said Edith, demurely, "and he's promised to try
and meet Mr. Vertrees and be nice to him. It's just this way: if we
don't know THEM, it's practically no use in our having build the New
House; and if we DO know them and they're decent to us, we're right
with the right people. They can do the whole thing for us. Bobby
Lamhorn told Sibyl he was going to bring his mother to call on her
and on mamma, but it was weeks ago, and I notice he hasn't done it;
and if Mrs. Vertrees decides not to know us, I'm darn sure Mrs
Lamhorn'll never come. That's ONE thing Sibyl didn't manage! She
SAID Bobby offered to bring his mother--"