again and again. In a year I'll have all the money I need--so what's the
harm if I borrow a little and promise to pay when I'm of age?"

Geraldine considered a moment: "It's curious," she reflected, "but do
you know, Scott, I never thought of doing that. It never occurred to me
to do it! Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because," said her brother with an embarrassed laugh, "it's not exactly
a proper thing to do, I believe. Anyway, they raised a terrible row
about it. Probably that's why they have at last given me a decent
quarterly allowance; they think it's safer, I suppose--and they're
right. The stingy old fossils."

The boyish boast, the veiled hint of revolt and reprisal vaguely
disturbed Geraldine's sense of justice.

"After all," she said, "they have meant to be kind. They didn't know
how, that's all. And, Scott, do let us try to be better now. I'm ashamed
of my rudeness to them. And I'm going to be very, very good to Kathleen
and not do one single thing to make her unhappy or even to bother Mr.
Tappan.... And, oh, Scott! my silks and laces! my darling clothes! All
is coming true! Do you hear? And, Scott! Naïda and Duane are back and
I'm dying to see them. Duane is twenty-three, think of it!"

She seized him and spun him around.

"If you don't hug me and tell me you're fond of me, I shall go mad. Tell
me you're fond of me, Scott! You do love me, don't you?"

He kissed his sister with preoccupied toleration: "Whew!" he said, "your