shall we be?'

'We will see first where she belongs,' smiled Mary. (Nobody could
help smiling at Rhoda.) 'Somebody has been neglecting his or her
duty. If we can make that somebody realise his delinquencies, all
the better, for the responsibility will not be ours. If we cannot,
why, the case is clear enough and simple enough in my mind. We
certainly do not want "Mene, mene, tekel, upharsin" written over
this, of all doors.'

Rhoda's hand went up to an imaginary cap in a gesture of military
obedience. 'Very well, my general. I fly to prepare weapons with
which to fight Satan. You, of course, will take HER; oh, my dear,
I'm almost afraid you oughtn't! I choose the bullet-headed blonde
twin who says his name is "Lanty," and reserve for Edith the
bursting-with-fat brunette twin who calls herself "Ciffy." Edith's
disciplinary powers have been too much vaunted of late; we shall see
if Ciffy ruffles her splendid serenity.'



CHAPTER III--A FAMILY POLYGON



Mrs. Grubb's family circle was really not a circle at all; it was
rather a polygon--a curious assemblage of distinct personages.

There was no unity in it, no membership one of another. It was four
ones, not one four. If some gatherer of statistics had visited the