The Kentons

his coming the girl flitted out, in the noiseless fashion which of late had made her father feel something ghostlike in her. He was afraid she wa

e not talking about anything in particular." She was silent, and then she added again: "Sometimes I think El

't feel as you would sup

he thinks it's a beautiful thing in

t does she thin

she has very

the child's sincerity, with sense of her evasiveness more tolerant than his own. Yet he knew that if it came to a question of forcing Ellen to do what was best for her, or

convince herself, and we have got to let her. She believes, of course, that he's here on her account, and that flatters

e said, "I only wish s

silly, when it comes to a thing like this. O

he cares for h

elf-question. Then she answered: "No, I don't

duty to the poor child. You must

e performance of their common duty must fall wholly to her. But she me

spite of knowing that he

. She wouldn't ow

are you go

t let things tak

of a father determined to save his child from herself, and she in hers of resisting and withholding him.

reluctance, while the son bragged how he had got the last two tickets to be had that night for the theatre where he was going to take his mother. He seemed to think that the fact had a special claim on

do with the hat she had on? She had worn it to let them see, and now she turned her face from aide to side to give them the effect of the plumes, that fell like a dishevelled f

dear! Then I'll have to fix my hair two w

stay passed in the celebration of his filial virtues, which had been manifest from the earliest period. She co

s her hair so much darker at the roots than it is

I don't like boys hanging about where la

ctly for Boyne, and indirectly for Ellen, "It's

llow her to leave the room with her brother unrebuked. She was even willing to have ha

r, or that I don't see how silly she is. But it's all the more to his credit if he c

hich it sprang in her daughter's words; and she waited for a m

r, it's the same as if he didn't; it's

t think he would care much whether we disliked him or not. I am

a resentment her mother found path

ave the room with a fretful sigh, as if provoked that her mother would not provoke her further. There were moments when Mrs. Kenton believed that Ellen was sick of her love, and that she would pluck it out of her heart herself if she were left

Boyne had gone to some friends in another apartment. It seemed to Mrs. Kenton a piece of luck that she should be able to see him alone, and she

to ask a favor of you. She can't use her ticket for to-nig

ite, in spite of the instant repulsion she felt, she was not averse to what he proposed. Her fear was that Ellen would be so, or that she could keep from influencing her to t

s room he remained examining the details of the drawing-room decor

ady to go with yo

nce seemed left out of, though he had sometimes given evidence of his intellectual appreciation of these things. He talked

other saw Bittridge look at her with more tenderness than she had ever seen in him before. "I'll take goo

one Lottie bounced into th

llen isn't going to the

, sh

r, momma! Witho

ntary alliance. "Well, you're a pretty one to talk about chaperons! Walking all over Tuskingum with fellows at night, and going bu

"or I'll tell momma how you've been

l!" Boyne

ld Mrs. Bittridge, with her wobbly eyes, and they can see that he's just as green! The Plumptons have been laughing so about them, and I told them that we had nothing to do

lf drawn to her side again, said, very seriously: "Well, it ain't the thing in New York, yo

all being decided, she would, of course, go in New York as she would go in Tuskingum. Now Mrs. Kenton perceived that she must not, and she had her share of humiliation in the impression which his mother, as her friend, apparently, was making with her children's acquaintances in the hote

it?" Boyne asked,

y, Mrs. Kenton said, "You h

e room, "I don't know where all th

oyne was obliged to seek his own room, where he occupied himself with a contrivance he was inventing to enable you to

essly, "Where are the children?" she first told him that Lottie and Boyne were in their roo

e dull way he did, and to say nothing worse

ed to let her go? I can tell you it isn't an easy matter to manage her in this bus

aid Kenton. "I know you

a chaperon. I didn't think of that; it isn't the custom at home; but Lottie was very saucy abo

dren," Kenton said,

m them. Ellen is about perfect. She's as near an angel as a child can be, but she c

" the father

have gone. But all at once, while she sat there trying to think how I could excuse her, she began asking me what she should wear

ted to go because she's in love w

's handsome enough," she added, with a woman's subjective logic. "And there's s

" said Kenton,

en. But it's for her to say. I feel more and more that we can't interfere without doing harm. I suppose that if she were not so innocent hers

mother didn't go

n to go. And that's another thing Lottie was vexed about; she says everybody is laughi

Kenton, "I guess we could live through it. W

return. This was announced by the mounting of the elevator to their landing, and then by low, rapid pleading in a man's voice outside. Kenton was about to open the door, when there came the formless noise of what seemed a struggle, and Ellen's voice rose in a muffed cry: "Oh! Oh! Let me