"As for saying we can't see Father before he goes, it is nothing but his arbitrariness that dictates such nonsense," stormed Helen to the two younger girls. "He is just constituting himself boss of the whole Carter family. I intend to see Father and let him know how much I love him. I'd like to know how it would help any to have poor dear Daddy go off without once seeing his girls. Hasn't he always been seeing us and haven't we always taken all our troubles to him? How would we like it if he'd let us go on a trip and not come near to wish us _bon voyage_? You silly youngsters can be hoodwinked by this bumptious young doctor if you like, but I just bet you he can't control me! I've a great mind to go up to Father's room right this minute."
"Neither one of you is going," said Nan quietly. "Helen, you are acting this way just because you are ashamed of yourself. You ought to be ashamed. I know I am so mortified I can hardly hold up my head. We have been actually criminal in our selfishness. I don't intend ever as long as I live to get a new dress or a new hat or a new anything, and when I do, I'm going to shop on the wrong side of Broad and get the very cheapest and plainest I can find."
"Nonsense! What does this ugly young man know of our affairs and what money Daddy has in the bank? I don't see that he is called on to tell us when we shall and shan't make bills. He is pretending that our own Father is crazy or something. Won't answer for the consequences! I reckon he won't. Why should he be right in his diagnosis any more than Dr. Davis or Dr. Drew or Dr. Slaughter or any of the rest of them? Nervous prostration! Why, that is a woman's disease. I bet Daddy will be good and mad when he finds out what this young idiot is giving him. How we will tease him!"
"But Dr. Wright is not an idiot and is not ugly and is doing the very best he can do. Do you think he liked giving it to us so? Of course he didn't. I could see he just hated it. He would have let us alone except he sees we haven't a ray of sense among us, except maybe Douglas. She showed almost human intelligence."
"Speak for yourself, Miss Nan. Maybe you haven't any sense, but, thank you, I've got just as much as Douglas or that nasty old Dr. Wright or anybody else, in fact."