neighbor's lanai. That is only about three feet away, I gather."
"Yes," said Dick; "But that end of my lanai is boarded up, and the ironwoods make a thick screen outside. What's the idea?"
"Well," said Bert, engineering the rolling of the table, "You don't know the Kats. They are prying, peering, listening creatures, and there's no knowing what they might try to put over. There!" as she shoved the table up as tightly as possible into the corner, "I feel better with that there, anyway."
Dick walked with her to the door. "There is very little sound comes through," he said, "unless some of them come very close to the corner of their lanai. Once in a while I hear the kiddie crying a little, or laughing a little, but that is all."
"Poor baby!" said Bert, pityingly.
"It laughs and cries like any other kiddie," said Dick. "Is it absolutely idiotic?"
"Why, I suppose so," said Bert. "That's what everybody says, though I don't know of anyone who has actually seen it. It must be an awful thing for the poor mother. Think what a life she's leading; and just a young girl, too. She's not more than twenty-one or two, now."
"No," agreed Dick, reminiscently, "She looked to be about twenty, I should say. Well, good-bye, if you must go. I suppose that I have got to stay and face the music."
