clear glass, and Nina's emerald-green parrot walked upon his gaily
painted perch, and muttered in a significant and chuckling
undertone. Glass doors were open upon a square porch, and the
sweet afternoon air stirred the crisp, transparent curtains.

Harriet shut the door, and leaned against it, and the world spun
about her. What now? What now? What now? hammered her heart. Nina
tossed aside her magazine, and regarded her with affectionate
reproach.

"You ran upstairs!" she said. "I'm lying on your bed because Maude
had the laundry all over mine. Are you going to lie down?"

"No, my dear!" said Harriet, in an odd, breathy whisper.

"You DID run upstairs!" murmured Nina. She sat up, and put her
bare feet on the floor, groping for slippers, and yawned, with a
red face. "What time is it?"

"It's--" Harriet shook back the ruffle at her wrist, twisted her
arm slightly, and looked blindly down.

"Well?" said Nina, when she dropped her hand. But Harriet, smiling
at her blankly, had to look again.

"Six, dear--almost. Brush your hair, and get into something, and
we'll have half an hour before dinner comes up. I must be
downstairs for awhile to-night, I want to see just how the new
cook sends dinner in Your mother wasn't at all satisfied with
luncheon yesterday. I don't know why this comes to me," she added,