Dashed but not discouraged, Marcia and Florrie swiped sleeves across their faces, jerked at their offending skirts, yanked their garters and, after gawking at their fashionable sister’s progress down the street with her proud friend, they followed doggedly, utterly fascinated by the busy life Lena was able to make for herself. Lena and Mary Evelyn took walks to gather violets or mushrooms, they went to Epworth League meetings, they joined the Loyal Temperance Legion, a mysterious secret society that met after dark and sang songs and took pledges never to touch rum. Lena and Mary Evelyn did their studies together and made fudge, and they sewed things on the sewing machine. Marcia and Florrie were a little unhappy at Lena’s individuality, but proud and astonished too at her initiative. They tried to think of games to rival Mary Evelyn’s inducements, but the only thing that would hold Lena was Marcia’s final desperate offer to spend her quarter on ice cream, instead of saving it for the St. Nicholas Magazine. During Papa’s visits Lena gave up her friend, in case Papa would offer some treat which she might miss. She felt her responsibility, too, and usually devoted the first evening with Papa to a grave report on the bad behavior of her two sisters. Marcia was kept after school twice for not answering when spoken to, she was sent home by the teacher to wash her hands, she was slapped for impudence when she called the teacher a chippy. Florrie had bawled all during Sunday school, so they said she couldn’t come again, and she had jumped on the bed till it broke the slats. Lena then produced her report card with an A in deportment, which she felt offset the Cs in her studies, and partially convinced Papa, so that he saw only the D in Marcia’s deportment and not the As and Bs in studies.

“I don’t like deportment, that’s why,” Marcia belligerently explained. For her part she was able to tell Papa that Lena visited Aunt Lois all the time and told her everything that Papa was doing, so that Aunt Lois was madder than ever at him. She added that Lena now swore, and said “Lord” and “For heaven’s sake,” just like Mary Evelyn. This retaliation impressed Lena with her sister’s strategic abilities, so she treated her like an equal for fully three days.

Papa didn’t go on a trip for over a month. When Mr. Hartwell came over they didn’t celebrate, but talked in low voices far into the night. Bonnie Purdy came in at midnight, bringing coffee and sandwiches which she declared were just going to waste in the icebox. The children sensed something queer was going on from Papa’s silent spells and letter writing. One morning Bonnie came in at daybreak in her dressing gown to wake Papa for the Chicago train. He was gone two days. When he came back he had his hat once again cocked on the side of his head and chuckled at everything. Bonnie ran in the room after him, and they saw her reach up and kiss him warmly.