The next evening Nannie and John walked about the front yard waiting for Lucy to announce dinner. It was just after sunset and the tints in the sky were gorgeous. “Oh look at the lovely delicate mauve tint under that cloud!” exclaimed John, pointing. Lucy joined them as he was speaking. “Yes,” agreed Nannie. “It’s just the color of a dress I once had. Do you remember that little dress, Lucy?” “Yes, Mamma.” Lucy’s voice was weary. “Come on, or dinner will get cold,” she added. “Speaking of colors, what did you ever paint your house that horrid shade for?” Nannie asked a moment later, when the family was seated and she was serving the plates. “Why I don’t think it’s horrid,” objected Lucy. “We all agreed it was pretty. Jim selected it and----” “Yes!” sneered Mrs. Merwent, “Mr. Sprague has to be pleased even in the color of your house!” Lucy was pale and silent. “I’ve thought myself since that a slate grey would have been more effective,” said John. “Why, John, you were the most enthusiastic of all over this fawn and brown color scheme!” defended Lucy. “Well? Is that any reason why I shouldn’t change my mind?” demanded John sharply. “It certainly is!” retorted Lucy with equal emphasis. “People ought to know their own minds.” “Like you!” snapped John. “Dear me,” cooed Nannie, “you two have your little tiffs like other people! I had always thought you _so_ happy.” Lucy burst into tears and left the table. After finishing his meal, John went to the door of Lucy’s room and found it locked. He knocked. “Please go away, John,” called Lucy. “But, Lucy, you shouldn’t get angry at every suggestion Nannie makes.” “I can’t talk, John. I’m _so_ tired.” John returned to Nannie. “Let’s us two wash the dishes,” he proposed. Dimmie had gone to sleep in the Morris chair. “Well, wait a minute, John. There was so much of this dessert left I thought I’d take another helping,” Nannie explained, beginning to eat again. By the time they had cleaned the dishes and undressed Dimmie Nannie had reiterated a favorite opinion. “John, you _must_ get a servant for Lucy. I help her all I can but the work is too heavy for her.” Lucy objected strenuously to the scheme when it was brought up by John the following morning. She was proud of her plan of putting the amount of a servant’s wages in the bank every month. “Well, Lucy, it’s only for your own good that I suggested it,” argued Nannie. “I can do the work all right,” Lucy protested. “I’ve not been very well lately, but I’ll be all right.” “I agree with Nannie,” decided John. “It will be a good thing for her, too, for then you can go out with her more. She’s had to stay in most of the time because there was no one to go with.” “I’m not thinking of myself at all, John,” put in Nannie. “I know you’re not,” returned John, “but we are.” “But, John,” demurred Lucy, “we can’t afford it. Our bills are getting bigger every week.”