"But let the poor chap alone till he gets his strength again," he pleaded--as if I were a perfect tyrant, bent on making the boy miserable; "let the poor children enjoy their love-making for the little while that Emily remains here. She has been telling me that she's got a fine appointment in a school--joint principal--and that she's going to work in a fortnight--to work and save for their little home, till Harry is ready for her." "_What?_" I exclaimed. "She never told me that." "She will, of course, when you give her the chance," said Tom, with an air of apology. "She ought to have told me, she ought to have confided in me, first of all," I urged, much hurt, as I had every right to be; "I can't understand why she did not. You seem," I concluded passionately--"you all seem to be having secrets behind my back, and shutting me out of everything, as if I were everybody's enemy. It is always so!" "It is never so," replied Tom, laying his arm round my shoulder. "You are never outside, old girl, except when you won't come in." That was what they always said when they wanted to defend themselves. But here we dropped the painful subject, and discussed the details of our proposed festival. "Only Juke?" I inquired, counting on my fingers. "That makes seven in all--an awkward number." "No matter for a family party," said Tom. "We are not going in for style this time. The boy in his armchair and pillows will take the room of two." "Still, we may as well make it an even eight," I urged. "Otherwise the table will look lopsided, and one or other of the girls will have nobody to talk to." "They will be quite satisfied to have their brother to look at. No, no, Polly, don't let us make a company affair of it, for goodness' sake. Harry wouldn't like it, or be fit for it either." "And isn't Juke company?" "By Heavens, no! We owe it to that young fellow that our only son isn't in his grave--yes, Polly, I am convinced of it--and my house is his, and all that's in it. Besides, he'll be here professionally--to see that Harry doesn't overeat himself. Oh, Juke is quite another pair of shoes."