you don't mind I'll stay awhile. By the way, Anne, speaking of
disagreeable things, I am sure I saw Brady Thorpe on the avenue a bit ago.
Has your discarded skeleton come back with a key to your closet?"

"Braden is in New York," said his mother acidly. "Is it necessary for you
to be vulgar, George?"

"Not at all," said he. "When did he arrive? I hope you don't see anything
vulgar in that, mother," he made haste to add.

"He reached New York to-day, I think. He has been here to see me. He has
gone away. There is nothing more to be said, so please be good enough to
consider the subject—"

"Gee! but I'd like to have heard what he had to say to you!"

"I am glad that you didn't," said Anne, "for if you had you might have
been under the painful necessity of calling him to account for it, and I
don't believe you'd like that."

"Facetious, eh? Well, my mind is relieved at any rate. He spoke up like a
little man, didn't he, mother? I thought he would. And I'll bet you gave
him as good as he sent, so he's got his tail between his legs now and
yelping for mercy. How does he look, Anne? Handsome as ever?"

"Anne did not see him."

"Of course she didn't. How stupid of me. Where is he stopping?"

"With his grandfather, I suppose," said Mrs. Tresslyn, as tolerant as