never had had any money, and that I was not a bit proud, and would love
to stay and play with him if Kathleen permitted me."

"Did Kathleen let you? Of course she didn't."

"I told her what the boy said and I showed her the boy, but she wouldn't
let me stay and play."

"Kathleen's a pig."

"No, she isn't, poor dear. They make her act that way--Mr. Tappan makes
her. Our grandfather didn't want us to have friends."

"I'll tell you what," said Scott impatiently, "when I'm old enough, I'll
have other boys to play with whether Kathleen and--and that Thing--likes
it or not."

The Thing was the Half Moon Trust Company.

Geraldine glanced back at the portrait over the divan:

"Do you know," she ventured, "that I believe mother would have let us
have fun."

"I'll bet father would, too," said Scott. "Sometimes I feel like kicking
over everything in the house."

"So do I and I generally do it," observed Geraldine, lifting a slim,
graceful leg and sending a sofa-cushion flying.