root in a family unless every breach of it is punished severely for the first six months or so. But Ralph was conscious of a distinct wish to be interrupted, and his disappointment was perceptible when he heard the creaking sound rather farther down the stairs, as if his visitor had decided to withdraw. He rose, opened the door with unnecessary abruptness, and waited on the landing. The person stopped simultaneously half a flight downstairs. 

 “Ralph?” said a voice, inquiringly. 

 “Joan?” 

 “I was coming up, but I saw your notice.” 

 “Well, come along in, then.” He concealed his desire beneath a tone as grudging as he could make it. 

 Joan came in, but she was careful to show, by standing upright with one hand upon the mantelpiece, that she was only there for a definite purpose, which discharged, she would go. 

 She was older than Ralph by some three or four years. Her face was round but worn, and expressed that tolerant but anxious good humor which is the special attribute of elder sisters in large families. Her pleasant brown eyes resembled Ralph’s, save in expression, for whereas he seemed to look straightly and keenly at one object, she appeared to be in the habit of considering everything from many different points of view. This made her appear his elder by more years than existed in fact between them. Her gaze rested for a moment or two upon the rook. She then said, without any preface: 

 “It’s about Charles and Uncle John’s offer.... Mother’s been talking to me. She says she can’t afford to pay for him after this term. She says she’ll have to ask for an overdraft as it is.” 

 “That’s simply not true,” said Ralph. 

 “No. I thought not. But she won’t believe me when I say it.” 

 Ralph, as if he could foresee the length of this familiar argument, drew up a chair for his sister and sat down himself. 

 “I’m not interrupting?” she inquired. 

 Ralph shook his head, and for a time they sat silent. The lines curved themselves in semicircles above their eyes. 

 “She doesn’t understand that one’s got to take risks,” he observed, finally. 

 Prev. P 17/392 next