“Lucy!” Nannie’s eyes filled with tears. “What in the world _is_ the matter? Are you crazy?” “I’m not sure,” answered Lucy in a low voice. “Come on, Lucy,” pleaded Nannie. “Let’s be friends again. Kiss me,” and she moved toward Lucy. Lucy rose again. “Don’t!” she ejaculated excitedly. “I can’t stand it!” and she put out her hand as though to hold her mother away. They stood staring at each other. Lucy made a motion as if to go. “Oh, don’t bother to leave!” snapped Nannie angrily. “If my presence is so distasteful to you _I_ will go.” And she left the room. When John came home Mrs. Merwent met him at the door and there was a short conference between them before he entered the living room alone. “Lucy,” he began, “what in creation do you want to treat Nannie this way for?” Lucy eyed him without stirring or answering. “She’s gone upstairs to cry, you hurt her feelings so. You’ll drive her into marrying that Walsh man yet. She heard from him only today, she says. I should think you’d have a little pity in your makeup.” “John,” said Lucy, at last, “you don’t understand or _you_ would have a little pity.” “Understand what?” he responded irritably. “What has she done?” “If you can’t see, I doubt if there’s any use telling you.” Lucy’s voice was that of one suffering physical pain. “Well, I’m sure _I_ don’t know what it is, and she says she doesn’t. If it’s a little fancied slight, or some such thing, for heaven’s sake say what it is, and don’t be babyish.” A little shiver went through Lucy, but she controlled herself and her voice was steady. “I don’t think I am babyish, John, and I don’t think I am merely pouting over a fancied slight. And as you can’t see how things are, and have asked me, I will tell you.” John’s eyes swerved a little. “I don’t say mother is consciously trying to come between us, John. She doesn’t think things through sufficiently for that. But unless you and I can understand each other, she will ruin our home.” “I don’t know what you are driving at, Lucy. Nannie said it began with some trifling misunderstanding about the servant.” “It isn’t _anything_ in particular. Oh, John, can’t you see?” “I sure can’t. I’m blest if I can figure out any reason for all this tragic stuff. I didn’t take any stock at first in what Nannie said, that you had always been jealous of her, ever since you grew up, but I’ll swear it looks a little like it.” Lucy regarded him in silence, her face drawn. “What are you going to do about it? Are you going to keep on like this? You can’t put your mother in the street. She’s got no place to go. Your cousin has written her practically saying right out that she doesn’t want her.” “No. That’s true,” Lucy almost moaned. “She has no place to go! Oh, John, what has changed you so? If we could only stand together in this!”