was asleep--they'd gotten her to lie down; she took more care of Joe
than any one else, you know, and she sat up both nights. Clara
Baxter says she looks awful; she doesn't believe she'll get over
it."

"I shouldn't wonder!" said Mrs. Monroe with a click of
commiseration.

"Lou told Flora that the night Joe was dying, Grandma broke out and
said to Paul King that if Joe hadn't gone with him out to Deegan
Point two weeks ago, he never would have had that chill. But Flora
says ..."

The low voices went on and on, even after Malcolm Monroe came in,
thoroughly tired and a little chilly, to take his own chair by the
fire. Sally, deposed, came to sit opposite Martie, and idly watched
the solitaire.

"Isn't Rodney Parker nice?" Sally whispered cautiously, after a
while.

"I think he is!" Martie answered hardily; but the happy colour came
to her cheeks.

"I'll bet all the girls go crazy about him!" Sally submitted.

A faint pang of jealousy, a vague sense of helplessness, seized upon
Martie. He had been so cordially gay and delightful with her; would
he be that with all the girls? Would Florence Frost, three years
older than he, fall a victim to his charm as quickly as she, Martie,