burst in. Behind him came Mrs. Vickers and then, to my surprise, there stood my wife Constance. She had writ- ten that she was coming down this week, and here she was. Her expression was one of amazement and incredulity. "Barbara!" she called. "Let him go, Let Orville go" Barbara did not release me at once. With help in sight, I no longer sought to resist her but took her blows with calmness and a nonchalance I was far from feeling. I could barely see my rescuers through the cascade of hair that my curls formed as they covered my face.

"Stand up, Orville!" Constance ordered curtly. Straighten your skirt". Slowly I got to my feet. "And now, Barbara--will you kindly explain what you were try- ing to do?"

Barbara suddenly began to sob. "It wasn't my fault. He attacked me first and I only defended myself." "What?" I exclaimed. "You liar! Who was doing

what to whom?"

"Well, you've had a spanking coming for a long time. 11 Her voice had an unspoken inference or accusation that was reflected in the eyes of Constance and the others. I tried to meet their glances directly.

"Why she swore at me like I was a poolroom bum,

pulled my hair and--and, well you saw what she was doing. "Yeah, I put Orville over my knee and gave him a spanking and it wasn't half what he deserved." Barbara said. "Not only was he piggish about MY phonograph but he had the nerve to say I needed a spanking. I just had to prove to him that if any spanking was done that I was not going to be on the receiving end. Everyone suddenly looked relieved, everyone that is, but Dora.

"What else did he do?" she demanded.

"Oh, I get it!" I said. "You think she is hiding something. Well, she spanked me, What else are you fish- ing for? What vulgar- 11

"Stop talking like a fool", said Mrs. Vickers, per- emptorily.

"It's your fault, too, I retorted. "Look how you and Dora have brought her up. She's nothing but a snob. "You have no right to talk that way about my daughter"