For I ain't going to have it on that basis."
"Who wants to have it on that basis?" retorted her husband.
"Nobody, if you don't," said Mrs. Lapham tranquilly.
Irene had come home with the shaving in her belt,
unnoticed by her father, and unquestioned by her mother.
But her sister saw it at once, and asked her what she was
doing with it.
"Oh, nothing," said Irene, with a joyful smile
of self-betrayal, taking the shaving carefully out,
and laying it among the laces and ribbons in her drawer.
"Hadn't you better put it in water, 'Rene? It'll be all
wilted by morning," said Pen.
"You mean thing!" cried the happy girl. "It isn't a flower!"
"Oh, I thought it was a whole bouquet. Who gave it to you?"
"I shan't tell you," said Irene saucily.
"Oh, well, never mind. Did you know Mr. Corey had been
down here this afternoon, walking on the beach with me?"
"He wasn't--he wasn't at all! He was at the house with ME.
There! I've caught you fairly."
"Is that so?" drawled Penelope. "Then I never could
guess who gave you that precious shaving."
"No, you couldn't!" said Irene, flushing beautifully.
"And you may guess, and you may guess, and you may guess!"
With her lovely eyes she coaxed her sister to keep on
teasing her, and Penelope continued the comedy with the
patience that women have for such things.
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