Free Re-Creations by Grace Livingston Hill Page A

there?”
    “I should say I did! Nell, you’re a peach! I never meant to have it looking that way when you came home. I sure am ashamed you had to dig that stuff all out. Some junk I had there. I meant to take a day off and clean house pretty soon.”
    “Well, now you can help me with some of the other rooms, instead,” his sister replied, smiling, and hastened back to turn her waffles.
    “I sure will!” said Carey heartily. “When do you want me? Tomorrow morning? Nothing in the way of my working all day if you say the word. We used to make a pretty good team, Nell, you and I. Think we could accomplish a lot in a day.”
    “Yes, Carey hasn’t any job to hinder him doing what he pleases,” put in Harry with a bitter young sneer. “I’d’ve had it all done by myself long ago if I hadn’t had a job after school!”
    “Yes, you young brag!” began Carey with a deep scowl. “You think you’re it and then some!”
    “It would seem as if you might have given a little time, Carey,” began his father almost crossly, with a look about his mouth of restraining less mild things that he might have said.
    Louise looked apprehensively at her sister.
    “Oh, well,” put in Cornelia quickly, “you couldn’t be expected to know what to do, any of you, till your big sister got home. You’ve all done wonderfully well, I think, to get as much done as you have; and I only blame you, every one of you, especially Father dear, for not sending for me sooner. It was really—well, criminal, you know, Daddy, to keep me in expensive luxury and ignorance that way. But I’m not going to scold you here before folks. We’ll have that out after they’ve all gone to bed, won’t we? We’re going to have nothing but pleasant sayings at this supper table. It’s a kind of reunion, you know, after so many years. Just think, we haven’t all been together for—how long is it?—Four years? Doesn’t that seem really awful? When I think of it, I realize how terribly selfish I have been. I didn’t realize it in college because I was having such a good time, but I have been selfish and lazy and absolutely thoughtless. I hope you’ll all forgive me.”
    Carey lifted wondering eyes, and his scowl faded while he studied his pretty sister’s guileless face thoughtfully. The attention was diverted from him, and his anger was cooling, but somehow he began to feel deep in his soul that it was really he that had been selfish. All their scolding and nagging hadn’t made him in the least conscious of it, but this new, old, dear, pretty sister taking the blame on herself seemed to throw a new light on his own doings. Of course, it was merely momentary and made no very deep impression, but still the idea had come and would never be quite driven away again.

    The supper was a success from every point of view. The pot roast was as tender as cheese, the mashed potatoes melted under the gravy like snow before the summer sun and were enjoyed with audible praise, and the waffles sizzled and baked and disappeared, and more took their places, until at last the batter was all gone.
    “Well, I couldn’t hold another one,” said Carey, “but they certainly were jim-dandies. Say, you haven’t forgotten how to cook, Nell!” And he cast a look of deep admiration toward his sister.
    Cornelia, so tired she could hardly get up out of her chair after she dropped into it, lifted a bravely smiling face and realized that she had scored a point. Carey had liked the supper and was over his grouch. The first night had been ushered in greatly. She was just wondering whether she dared suggest that he help wash the dishes when he suddenly jerked out his watch, glanced at it, and shoved his chair back noisily.
    “Gee! I’ve gotta beat it,” he said hurriedly as he strode to the hall door. “I’ve gotta date!” And before the family had drawn the one quick, startled, aghast breath of disappointment and tried to think of some way to detain him or find out where he