“Ma, is Joyce here yet? Cause our teacher’s coming down to see her right away. Say, Ma, can’t I put on my new organdie dress? The superintendent’s coming along with her. I heard them planning it when I was in the cloak room. And say, Ma, that must have been him phoned daddy this morning, ’cause I heard him say she had awful good exams. He said they were ‘very clever’ just like that. I’m going up to change my dress before they get here. I’m going to wear my new patent leathers too. And, oh, yes, Mrs. Bryan says for you to call her up _right away_ and tell her what Joyce said about taking her Sunday-school class. She’s going to take the evening train, and she’s _got_ to know before she goes.” Dorothea’s voice trailed off up the stairs as Junior stamped in angrily: “Say, Ma, what did Joyce do with my baseball bat? I wisht she’d leave my things alone. Where is she anyhow? Steve Jenkins says he saw her walkin’ along the State Road last night with her hat in her hand. And the minister asked me when she was comin’ back, and Miss Freedley told me to tell her she was comin’ over after supper fer her to teach her how to knit her sweater sleeves. And say, Ma, ain’t there any more jelly roll? I’m hungrier’n a dozen wolves. You didn’t have hardly anything fer lunch. I don’t see why you let Joyce go away. There goes the telephone. I ’spect that’s Ted Black. He wants to know if Joyce can help out on the Country Week Picnic Committee--” His mother swept him out of the way and answered the phone just as Eugene entered with an angry frown: “Where is Joyce?” he called out imperatively, just as a strange voice over the phone asked, “Has Miss Radway returned yet?” Nannette, her nerves having reached the verge of control snapped out an answer: “No, she hasn’t. I don’t know when she’s coming back. She’s away on a visit,” and hung up the phone with a click. “Do you mean to tell me Joyce hasn’t come back yet?” roared Eugene ominously as his wife turned to meet him. “If you ask me that question again I’ll _die_!” screamed Nannette, “I’ve had to answer it all day long. One would think Joyce Radway was the most important person in this town. I think it’s ridiculous your mother letting her get into everything this way, a charity girl! Well, you needn’t look so cross. She was, wasn’t she, even if she was your cousin. Everybody in this whole town is wanting that snip of a girl for something. I told you you ought to go out last night and make her come back. She’s as stubborn as a mule, and we’ve got a pretty mess on our hands. One would think she was a princess or something the way folks act. And the new superintendent is coming to see her tonight, and the minister wants--”