“Well, I'm willing to.”

“No. Say you WANT to!”

“Well——”

He used his toe as a gimlet, boring into the ground, his wide open eyes staring with intense vacancy at a button on his sleeve.

His mother appeared upon the porch in departure, calling farewells over her shoulder to Mrs. Gelbraith, who stood in the doorway.

“Say it!” whispered Fanchon.

“Well, I just as SOON.”

She seemed satisfied.

[ [!-- H2 anchor --] ]

CHAPTER XXX THE BIRTHDAY PARTY