sister. I had to tell Miss PRATT it was my only SISTER!"

"Willie, who is Miss Pratt?" asked Mrs. Baxter, mildly. "I don't think
I've ever heard of--"

Jane had returned to an admirable imperturbability, but she chose
this moment to interrupt her mother, and her own eating, with remarks
delivered in a tone void of emphasis or expression.

"Willie's mashed on her," she said, casually. "And she wears false
side-curls. One almost came off."

At this unspeakable desecration William's face was that of a high priest
stricken at the altar.

"She's visitin' Miss May Parcher," added the deadly Jane. "But the
Parchers are awful tired of her. They wish she'd go home, but they don't
like to tell her so."

One after another these insults from the canaille fell upon the ears of
William. That slanders so atrocious could soil the universal air seemed
unthinkable.

He became icily calm.

"NOW if you don't punish her," he said, deliberately, "it's because you
have lost your sense of duty!"

Having uttered these terrible words, he turned upon his heel and marched
toward the house. His mother called after him: