like to know what father would say if he knew that you brought Jimmy
up to your bed-room."

"My bed-room isn't a bed-room. How dare you make such accusations, how
dare you? I should not be surprised if you were at the bottom of all
this. I know you are mad with jealousy. Do you think I don't know how
you flirted with Jimmy? Do you think I didn't see how you shifted
Frank on to me so that you might walk with Jimmy to the station? But
I'll tell you what, I'll not stand it, and if you try to come between
me and him I'll knock you down."

Sally sprang from her place and raised her fist. Maggie rushed from
the room, or, more correctly speaking, into the arms of Willy.

"What the deuce are you up to?" cried this staid young man, who had
been twisted round and thrown against the wall.

"Oh, save me! Sally says she'll knock me down," cried the girl,
clinging for a moment to her brother's shoulder, but as if conscious
of the dubiousness of his protection, she loosed him and fled upstairs
to her room.

"What damned nonsense this is! The trouble young girls are in a
house!--Nothing but pleasure; from one year's end to another, it is
nothing but pleasure. I am sick of it."

Having by such unusual emphasis of manner reduced his sisters to
silence, Willy sat down, and chewed with gravity and deliberation.
Grace and Sally watched him. After a long and elaborate silence he put
some brief questions, and appeared to devote to them the small part of