Brandon prefers."

"Well, there's _Sentimental Tommy_," began Joan.

But Miss Milton was an old general.

"Oh, that's out, I'm afraid. Now, here's a sweetly pretty book--_Roger
Varibrugh's Wife_, by Adeline Sergeant. It'a only just out...."

"Or there's _The Sowers,"_ said Joan, caught against her will by the
red-rimmed eyes and staring at them.

"Oh, that's out, I'm afraid. There are several books here--"

"You promised mother," said Joan, "that she should have _Sentimental
Tommy_ this week. You promised her a month ago. It's about time that
mother had a book that she cares for."

"Really," said Miss Milton, wide-eyed at Joan's audacity. "You seem to be
charging me with some remissness, Miss Brandon. If you have any complaint,
I'm sure the Library Committee will attend to it. It's to them I have to
answer. When the book is in you shall have it. I can promise no more. I am
only human."

"You have said that now for three months," said Joan, beginning, to her
own surprised delight, to be angry. "Surely the last reader hasn't been
three months over it. I thought subscribers were only allowed to keep a
book a week."

Miss Milton's crimson colouring turned to a deep purple.