"
"But she said she was going to--and I thought you knew!" cried Joy,
her heart leaping up.
"Oh, you mean she took possession?" he said. "I see. That is like
Gail. Well--don't let her, next time, my dear."
"I'd much, much rather not!" said Joy enthusiastically, "but she
said she'd made it all right with your mother, and----"
"Oh, in that case," said John, "all right." Then he dismissed the
subject, looking into the fire. "I find out some new thing about you
every day, kiddie," he said. "I'm afraid I must seem like a rather
quiet and unaccomplished person to you,--compared to other men."
"You mean because I ran off with Clarence," said Joy with remorseful
directness, and her usual child-likeness. "I _was_ cross because
you liked Gail."
He laughed. "And _I_ was cross because you liked Clarence.
Shall we both reform a bit, little girl?"
"Oh, yes!" replied Joy radiantly. "Only I haven't much to reform
about," she added thoughtfully. "Except he's kind to me, and he
understands things sometimes you don't...."
John sighed a little. "I see. Yes, he's that sort. Well, try to make
me understand, dear, won't you? ... I want to."
She slipped her hand impulsively in his as she did sometimes.
"Then that's all right," he said contentedly.
But the most all right thing, to Joy's unregenerate heart, was next
morning, when she went up to pay her usual morning visit to Mrs. Hewitt.
"Joy, will you tell me," demanded the lady, "what you meant by
telling Gail you wanted her to do the housekeeping?"
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
THE SERIOUS BUSINESS OF "IOLANTHE"
There was no use having it out with Gail.
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