“Well,” said “Momma” audibly, “she’d better.  I’m agoin’ to put out the fires, and the house’ll be about 12 below.”

Sylvester murmured, “Oh, we must change that.”

And Girlie said nothing.

“Well,” vociferated Babe.  “I call it too mean for words.  I’ve just set my heart on her meeting some of the folks and getting to know Millings.  She’s been here a whole two weeks and she hasn’t met a single fellow but Dickie, and he don’t count, and she hasn’t even got friendly with any of the girls.  And I wanted her to see one of our real swell affairs.  Why—­just for the credit of Millings, she’s gotta go.”

“Why fuss her about it, if she don’t want to?” Girlie’s soft voice was poured like oil on the troubled billows of Babe’s outburst.

“I’ll see to her,” Sylvester’s chair scraped the floor as he rose.  “I know how to manage girls.  Trust Poppa!”

He pushed through the door, followed by Babe.  Sheila looked up at him helplessly.  She had her box under her feet, and so was not entirely hidden by the dishpan.  She drew up her head and faced him.

“Mr. Hudson,” she began—­“please!  I can’t go to a dance.  You know I can’t—­”

“Nonsense!” said Pap.  “In the bright lexicon of youth there’s no such word as ‘can’t.’  Say, girl, you can and you must.  I won’t have Babe crying her eyes out and myself the most unpopular man in Millings.  Say, leave your dishes and go up and put on your best duds.”

“That’s talking,” commented Babe.

In the dining-room “Momma” said, “Hmp!” and Girlie was silent.

Sheila looked at her protector.  “But, you see, Mr. Hudson, I—­I—­it was only a month ago—­” She made a gesture with her hands to show him her black dress, and her lips trembled.

Pap walked round to her and patted her shoulder.  “I know,” he said.  “I savvy.  I get you, little girl.  But, say, it won’t do.  You’ve got to begin to live again and brighten up.  You’re only seventeen and that’s no age for mourning, no, nor moping.  You must learn to forget, at least, that is”—­for he saw the horrified pain of her eyes—­“that is, to be happy again.  Yes’m.  Happiness—­that’s got to be your middle name.  Now, Miss Sheila, as a favor to me!”

Sheila put up both her hands and pushed his from her shoulder.  She ran from him past Babe into the dining-room, where, as she would have sped by, “Momma” caught her by the arm.

“If you’re not aimin’ to please him,” said “Momma” harshly, “wot are you here for?”

Sheila looked at her unseeingly, pulled herself away, and went upstairs on wings.  In her room the tumult, held down all through the ugly, cluttered, drudging day, broke out and had its violent course.  She flew about the room or tossed on the bed, sobbing and whispering to herself.  Her wound bled freely for the first time since it had been given her by death.  She called to her father, and her heart writhed in the grim talons of its loneliness.