The twins broke into open derision. "Connie! Oh, yes, Connie's above that nonsense." "Connie's the worst in the family, father, only she's one of these reserved, supercilious souls who doesn't tell everything she knows." "'Nonsense.' I wish father could have heard Lee Hanson last night. It would have been a revelation to him. 'Aw, go on, Connie, give us a kiss.'" Connie caught her lips between her teeth. Her face was scarlet. "Twins!" "It's a fact, father. He kept us awake. 'Aw, go on, Connie, be good to a fellow.'" "That's what makes us so pale to-day,--he kept us awake hours!" "Carol!" "Well, quite a while anyhow." "I--I--" began Connie defensively. "Well, we know it. Don't interrupt when we're telling things. You always spoil a good story by cutting in. 'Aw, go on, Connie, go on now!' And Connie said--" The twins rocked off in a paroxysm of laughter, and Connie flashed a murderous look at them. "Prudence says listening is--" "Sure she does, and she's right about it, too. But what can a body do when folks plant themselves right beneath your window to pull off their little Romeo concerto. We can't smother on nights like these. 'Aw, go on, Connie.'" "I wanted to drop a pillow on his head, but Carol was afraid he'd run off with the pillow, so we just sacrificed ourselves and let it proceed." "Well, I--" "Give us time, Connie. We're coming to that. And Connie said, 'I'm going in now, I'm sleepy.'" "I didn't--father, I didn't!" "Well, you might have said a worse thing than that," he told her sadly. "I mean--I--" "She did say it," cried the twins. "'I'm sleepy.' Just like that." "Oh, Connie's the girl for sentiment," exclaimed Lark. "Sleepy is not a romantic word and it's not a sentimental feeling, but it can be drawled out so it sounds a little mushy at least. 'I sleep, my love, to dream of thee,'--for instance. But Connie didn't do it that way. Nix. Just plain sleep, and it sounded like 'Get out, and have a little sense.'" "Well, it would make you sick," declared Connie, wrinkling up her nose to express her disgust. "Are boys always like that father?" "Don't ask me," he hedged promptly. "How should I know?" "Oh, Connie, how can you! There's father--now, he never cared to kiss the girls even in his bad and balmy days, did you, daddy? Oh, no, father was all for the strictly orthodox even in his youth!" Mr. Starr returned precipitately to his mail, and the twins calmly resumed the discussion where it had been interrupted. A little later a quick exclamation from their father made them turn to him inquiringly. "It's a shame," he said, and again: "What a shame!" The girls waited expectantly. When he only continued frowning at the letter in his hand, Carol spoke up brightly, "Yes, isn't it?" Even then he did not look up, and real concern settled over their expressive faces. "Father! Can't you see we're listening?"