“Now you quit, Pa,” remonstrated Mazie, cheerily. “Eris, you go right up to your own room. Everything’s just like you left it. Where’s your trunk? All right; Si and Buddy will take it up.” And to her husband: “Pa, I’m surprised at you. Ain’t you a-going to shake hands with your own daughter?” “Gimme a chance,” he grunted. He offered Fanny’s child a horny paw, gave her fingers one pump-like jerk. “Time you come home,” he observed. “I guess you want your caaf money, don’t you?” “Not if _you_ need it,” she replied tranquilly. “Is the farm doing well, Dad?” Mazie said, laughingly: “He’s only foolin’. He’s making more money than he can spend, Eris. You take your heifer-money when you’re good and ready. It’s down to the bank and all safe and snug.” Eris smiled at them both: “Where’s that blue checked gingham dress of mine?” she inquired. “If it’s clean I want to milk.” “I guess you’ve kinda forgotten how,” drawled Elmer. “You jest better set and rock and read into them novels you allus liked----” “I want to milk,” she repeated with a humorous glance at Mazie. “Come right up to your room then, Eris. I’ll show you where I put that gingham.” And, to Elmer: “You hush your face, Pa. Eris can milk any cow she’s a mind to. Come along, Eris----” But the girl lingered on the stairs: “What is the herd-bull’s name, Dad?” she asked curiously. “We got White Cloud now. Lemme see,--was it Whitewater Chieftain when you was here----” “Yes.... I want to see the herd come in. I’ll hurry, Dad----” She ran upstairs after Mazie. Her father passed his huge hand over his face absently; then, very deliberately, he scratched his grizzled head. Si broke the silence: “She’s a hum-dinger, Pa. I’ll say so.” “Hey?” grunted Elmer, scowling at his son. “Ain’t she?” insisted Cyrus. “Waal, I dunno. She dresses kinda tidy.” “She looks like she did when we all seen her on the screen,” said Si. “I guess she’s made her pile. They all get big wages in the movies. You gotta go to the city to make big money----” “G’wan down to the barn,” said his father drily. The first murmur of discord already: and Fanny’s child scarcely arrived! Elmer’s frowning face was lifted to the floor overhead--a moment--then, heavily he followed his own and unmistakable offspring down to the milking barn. * * * * * In her room the sight of objects long forgotten filled her heart;--and the odour of the house, the particular odour of her own room--melange of dyed curtains, cheap wall-paper, ingrain carpet--a musty, haunting odour with a slight aroma of fresh air filtered by forests. Two of her half-brothers appeared with her luggage. Buddy, grown fat and huge, shyly shook hands with her and fled. Mazie kissed her again and retired, taking Si with her, whose fascinated gaze had never stirred from the only real actress he ever had beheld. Eris seldom cried. But now she sat down on her bed’s edge and buried her face in the pillows.