"Why should I be homesick?" she inquired, rather to Polly's
surprise.

"Why, I don't know exactly, only I should think you'd be lonely
without your father and mother," she began.

"That's what Aunt Ruth seemed to think," interrupted Jessie; "but
I shan't be, a bit. You see, mamma is off travelling with papa
ever so much of the time, and when she's at home, even, we don't
see much of her, for we are in school days, and she goes out, or
else has company 'most every evening."

"Is that the way people do out there?" inquired Polly, with
perfect innocence.

The others were standing near and, at the question, Alan shot a
sly glance at Molly, as Katharine answered, with an air of
patronage,--

"Not all people, you know; but mamma is in society, and is very
gay, so of course she can't be expected to have much time for us."

"Oh!" said Polly, as if a new light had dawned on her. The simple
life of the old town and her own mother's devotion to her had not
taught her to know that, when the question arises between them,
home life must give place to social.

But Molly saw they were treading on dangerous ground, so, to ward
off a possible skirmish, she suggested,--