"Why, then, of course, darling," said Kathleen in a hearty voice, as she
brought down the window with a bang. "Would you like me to shut the
ventilator in the grate?" she then asked.

"No. How silly you are!"

"Is it silly? I thought you had a cold. You are afraid of the draughts.
Why are you going out?"

"I want to see a school friend."

"You will be back in time for tea, won't you?"

"Can't say."

"But your mother, the poor tired one, asked you to be back."

"I do wish, Kathleen, that you wouldn't call mother by that ridiculous
name. She is no more tired than--than other women are."

"If that is the case," said Kathleen, "I heartily hope that I shall not
live to be a woman. I wouldn't like us all to be as fagged as she
is--poor, dear, gentle soul! She's overworked, and that's the truth."

Kathleen saw that she was annoying Alice, and proceeded with great gusto
to expand her theory with regard to Mrs. Tennant.

"She's in the condition when she might drop any time," she said. "We
have had old Irishwomen overworked like that, and all of a sudden they