“Four years younger than Sally!” said Constance, not for the first time.

“It’s not that,” Barbara contributed disgustedly.  “But he’s only nineteen—­not of age, even!  And he hasn’t one single penny!  Why, Mrs. Carter was thinking of sending him abroad for two years’ work with his music.  I see her doing it now!  Little sloppy-haired, conceited idiot, that’s what he is!”

“And Richie says he’ll have to have his mother’s consent before he can marry her,” said Jane with a virtuous air.

“It’s too disgusting!” Barbara added, giving Jane a sharp glance.  “And you oughtn’t talk that way, Jane; it doesn’t sound very well in a girl your age to talk about any one’s having to marry any one!”

“I know this,” said Constance gloomily.  “It’s going to give this family a horrible black eye.  A fine chance we’ll have to marry, we younger ones, with Sally disgracing every one this way!” Constance was the handsomest of all the Tolands, and felt keenly the disadvantages of being the youngest of four unmarried sisters.

“Don’t worry about your marriage until it comes along, Con,” said Barbara wearily.

“I’ll bet I marry before you do!” said Constance, without venom.

“I long ago made up my mind never to marry at all,” Barbara said, with a bored air.  Julia chuckled.

“It is so funny to hear you go at each other,” she explained.  “It sounds so cross—­and it really isn’t at all!  Don’t worry, Miss Toland,” she added soothingly, “Miss Sally wouldn’t marry him if she didn’t love him—­”

“Oh, she loves him fast enough!” Barbara admitted, consoled.

“And if people love each other, it’s all right,” Julia went on.  Barbara sighed.

“Oh, I hope it is, Julia!” said she, as conscious of the little familiarity for all her abstracted air as Julia was, and suspecting that it thrilled Julia, as indeed it did.

“And it’s all the result of idleness, that’s what it is, and that’s what I’ve been telling your mother,” said Miss Toland, coming in.  “You’ve all got nothing to do except sit about and think how bored you are!”

“Oh, Auntie, aren’t you low?” Barbara said tranquilly, going to take an arm of her chair.  “All sorts of people elope—­there’s nothing so disgraceful in that.”

“It’s disgraceful considering what a father you’ve got, and what a mother!” Miss Toland said vexatiously.  “And Ted worrying your father to death about that scamp, too!  I declare it’s too much!”

“He’s a pretty rich scamp, and a pretty attractive scamp,” Barbara said in defence of Theodora’s choice.  “He’s not like that kid of a Keith!”

Julia heard the garden gate slam, and a quick, springing step on the porch before the others did, but it was Jane who said, “Here’s Jim!” and Barbara who went to let him in.

“Oh, Jimmy, have you heard of Sally?” she faltered, and as they came in from the hall Julia’s quick eye saw that she was half clinging to his shoulder, sister fashion, and that his arm was half about her.