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"And that's how you got those poor hands!" exclaiainst the tan

"That's how," raising the hands and putting them on Kathlyn's head in a

kind of benediction

"Is that all?" asked Winnie breathlessly

"Isn't that enough?" he retorted "Well, what is it, Martha? Dinner?

Well, if I haven't cheated you girls out of your tea!"

"Tea!" sniffed Winnie disdainfully "Do you know, dad, you're awfully

mean to Kit andthan any book I ever read"

"He doesn't believe his stories would interest vain young ladies," said

Kathlyn gravely

Her father eyed her sharply Of as she thinking? In those cal eyes of hers he saw a question, and he feared in his soul

she ht voice it He could evade the questions of the volatile

Winnie, but there was no getting by Kathlyn with evasions Frowning,

he replaced the order in the box, which he put away in a drawer It

was all arrant nonsense, anyhow; nothing could possibly happen; if

there did, he would feel certain that he no longer dwelt in a real

workaday world The idle whidead?"

"Dead! What makes you ask that, Kit?"

"The past tense; you said he was, not is"

"Yes, he's dead, and the news caer in returning?"

"My girl, whenever I pack e may