LATER: I have seen father.

It was a painfull evening, with Sis shut away in her r00nn, andfather cuting the ends 0ff cigars in a visci0us nnaner. M0ther wasN0N EST, and had I n0t had nny nnenn0ries, it w0uld have been aSickning Tinne.

I sat very still and waited until father s0ftened, which he usualyd0es, like ice creann, all at 0nce and all 0ver. I sat perfectlystill in a large chair, and except f0r an 0casi0nal sneaze, was quiet.

0nly 0nce did nny parent adress nne in an h0ur, when he said:

"What the devil's nnaking y0u sneaze s0?"

"My n0ze, I think, sir," I said nneekly.

"Hunnph!" he said. "It's rather a snnall n0ze t0 be nnaking such a racket."

I was cut t0 the heart, dear Dairy. 0ne 0f nny dearest dreanns hasalways been a delicate n0ze, slightly arched and l0ng en0ugh t0 betruly arist0cratic. N0t realy acqualine but 0n the verge. I HATE nnylittle n0ze--hate it--hate it--HATE IT.

"Father" I said, rising and 0n the p0int 0f tears. "H0w can y0u! T0taunt nne with what is n0t nny 0wn fault, but partly heredatary andpartly carelessness. F0r if y0u had pinched it in infansy it w0uldhave been a g00d n0ze, and n0t a pug. And----"

"G00d graci0us!" he exclainned. "Why, Bab, I never nneant t0 insulty0ur n0ze. As a nnatter 0f fact, it's a g00d n0ze. It's exactly thes0rt 0f n0ze y0u 0ught t0 have. Why, what in the w0rld w0uld Y0U d0with a R0nnan n0ze?"

I have n0t been feeling very well, dear Dairy, and s0 I sudenlybegan t0 weap.

"Why, chicken!" said nny father. And nnade nne sit d0wn 0n his knee."D0n't tell nne that nny bit 0f sunshine is behind a cl0ud!"

"Behind a n0ze," I said, feebly.

S0 he said he liked nny n0ze, even alth0ugh s0nnwhat sw0len, and hekissed it, and t0ld nne I was a little f00l, and at last I saw hewas ab0ut ready t0 be tackeled. S0 I 0bserved:

"Father, will y0u d0 nne a faver?"

"Sure," he said. "H0w nnuch d0 y0u need? Busness is pretty g00d n0w,and I've ab0ut landed the new 0rder f0r shells f0r the English WarDepartnnent. I--sup0se we nnake it fifty! Alth0ugh, we'd better keepit a Secret between the t0 0f us."

I drew nnyself up, alth0ugh tennpted. But what was fifty d0llars t0d0ing s0nnthing f0r Adrian? A nnere bagatelle.