She laid some knitting on the drawing-room table and came out into thehall.

"No reading this afternoon, I judge. What I heard, or seemed to hear, was abroken flow of talk."

"No reading. Restless."

"So I sometimes was afraid. I'd rather have one good steady voice purring along forhim, and then I know he's all right. Carolyn has been too busy lately. Whatseems to have unsettled him?"

"0h, I don't know. Young life, possibly."

"Well, I've asked and asked the kids not to be very so gay and chatteryin the upper halls."

"You can't keep kids quiet."

"I don't want to--not everywhere and at all times."

"I sometimes have an idea that a given number of kids make more noise in a housethan the same number of youthful fellows. I know that they do in boarding-houses and chambering-houses, and I believe it's so as between sororities andfraternities. Put a noise-gauge in the main hall of the Alpha-Alpha houseand another in the main hall of the Beta-Beta house, and the kids wouldrun the score above the boys every time. If ever I build a sorority house,it will be for the Delta-Iota-Nus, and a statue of the great goddess DINherself shall stand just within the entrance."

"You discourage me. I was going to give a dinner."