hear any more about me goin' to----"

But his mother interrupted him with some asperity: "It seems very
strange that you always object to going anywhere among OUR
friends, Walter."

"YOUR friends!" he said, and, rising from his chair, gave
utterance to an ironical laugh strictly monosyllabic. "Your
friends!" he repeated, going to the door. "Oh, yes! Certainly!
Good-NIGHT!"

And looking back over his shoulder to offer a final brief view of
his derisive face, he took himself out of the room.

Alice gasped: "Mama----"

"I'll stop him!" her mother responded, sharply; and hurried after
the truant, catching him at the front door with his hat and
raincoat on.

"Walter----"

"Told you had a date down-town," he said, gruffly, and would have
opened the door, but she caught his arm and detained him.

"Walter, please come back and finish your dinner. When I take
all the trouble to cook it for you, I think you might at
least----"

"Now, now!" he said. "That isn't what you're up to. You don't