"CLARA FREELAND."


She read it, handed it to Tod, who also read it and handed it to Felix.
Nobody said anything. It was so altogether simple and friendly a note
that Felix felt pleased with it, thinking: 'I expressed that well!'

Then Tod said: "Go ahead, old man! You've got something to say about the
youngsters, haven't you?"

How on earth did he know that? But then Tod HAD a sort of queer
prescience.

"Well," he brought out with an effort, "don't you think it's a pity to
embroil your young people in village troubles? We've been hearing from
Stanley--"

Kirsteen interrupted in her calm, staccato voice with just the faintest
lisp:

"Stanley would not understand."

She had put her arm through Tod's, but never removed her eyes from her
brother-in-law's face.

"Possibly," said Felix, "but you must remember that Stanley, John, and
myself represent ordinary--what shall we say--level-headed opinion."

"With which we have nothing in common, I'm afraid."