Show irm A tr ra K by HENRY KITCHELL WEBSTER copyright 1916 bobbs bobba merrill co AFTER A VERY SERIOUS TALK WITH HER SISTER PORTIA WHO HAS sacrificed MUCH f ROSE ALDRICH COMES TO THE conclusion THAT MARRIAGE CALLS FOR MORE THAN SHE HAS GIVEN IT rose stanton stant on s student indent aethea university of chicago Is put off a street car irr in the rain after an argument lowith with the conductor she is fy L accosted by a young man wh who 0 offers help and escorts her home about two months later late V the young ician man rodney aldrich well todo to t o do lawyer marries rose and this ilits obscure girl Is thrown into Chi cagos most exclusive social set she Is surrounded by luxury but becomes beebee s dissatisfied with ease case she tries to help her husband but he be laughs good edly at her efforts married sl sister ster I 1 ri reder freder lea whitney and rose are chummy CHAPTER VIII VI 1 continued 6 he saw her when she reached the lower landing and came to meet her ohl he be said 1 I thought you were going to be off somewhere with frederica this afternoon its been a great day I 1 hope you spent the whole of it indoors youre looking great anyway come here and give me a kiss she hesitated a little perplexed did he mean not to td tell heto he her to spare her as aa hed have said the kiss she elie gave him had a different quality from those that ordinarily constituted her greetings and the arms that went round his neck give him their customary hug but they stayed there you poor dear old boyl she said and then dont you care roddy I 1 he returned the caress with interest before he seemed to realize the different significance of it then he pushed her away by the shoulders and held her where he be could look into her face what do you mean he asked dont care about what it seem like b bravado like an acted acte dout out pretense and yet of course it must be dont she said because I 1 know ive known all day I 1 read it in the paper this moring from puzzled concern the look in his bis face took on a deeper intensity tell me what it is 1 11 he be said very 1 quietly 11 M dont know I 1 read the paper this morning Is it harriet harriet was his other sister married and not very happily it was beginning to appear to lin an italian count A revolution a sort of sick giving took the cafor out of roses cheeks it anyone she said bald its nothing like that its its that case her lips stumbled over the title of it its been decided against you you know for a moment his expression was simply the absence of all expression whatever but how the dickens did you know anything about it how did you happen to see it in the paper how did you know the title of it 1 I was in the court the day you argued it she said unevenly and 7 F what do you hl mean ean he asked when I 1 found they printed those things in the paper I 1 kept watch and today why you dear child I 1 he said and the queer ragged quality of his voice drew diew her eyes back to his bis so that she saw wonderingly that they were bright with tears and you never said a word and youve been bothering your dear little head about it all the time 1 why you dar darling darlinge lingl 1 he sat down on the edge of the table and pulled her up tight into his arms again she was glad to put her head down want to look at his face she knew that there was a smile there albang with the tears and you thought I 1 was worrying about it he persisted and that td id be unhappy became bec aue e I 1 was beaten he patted lier her shoulder consolingly with a big hand but thaes all in the ilnyo work child im beaten somewhere near as often as I 1 win A man be any good as a lawyer if he did care care any more than a surgeon could be any good if he did youve got to keep a cold mind or you cant do your best work and if 1 youve done your best work theres nothing to care about I 1 honestly thought about the thing once from that day to this dont you see how it Is she see how bow it was that was plain enough what he very reasonably expected was that after so lucid an explanation she would turn her wet face up to his with her old wide smile on it but that wits was not what happened at all instead she just went limp in his arms aud and the sobs soba that shook her seemed to be meeting no resistance whatever at last she controlled rather suddenly her sobs sat up wiped her eyes ayes and after a fashion smiled not at him though resolutely away from him he might almost have thought as if she want him to see right he said craning round to make sure that the smile was there have a look at the funny side of it she winced at chatas that as from a blow and pulled herself away from him then she controlled herself and in answer to his look of troubled amitie amazement its all right only it happens that youre the one who d know how awfully funny it really Is her voice shook but she got it in hand band again no I 1 dont mean anything by that herel give me a kiss and then lot let me wash my face aad for the whole evening and again next morning until he left the house she managed to keep him in the only half balf questioning belief that nothing was the matter it was about an hour after that that her maid came into her bedr bedroom oom where she bad had her breakfast and said that miss stanton wanted to see her CHAPTER IX the damascus road it argued no 0 real lack of of sisterly affection that rose want to see portia that morning even if there had been no other reason being found in bed at half balf past ten in the morning by a sister who inflexibly opened her little ittle shop at half past eight regardless less of bad weather backaches and other potentially valid excuses was enough to malie make one feel apologetic and worthless rose could truthfully say that she was feeling wretched but portia would sit there slim and erect in a little straight backed chair and whatever perfunctory commiseration she might manage to express the look of her fine eyebrows would be skeptical but roses shrinking from a talk with portia that morning was a mild feeling compared with dread of the impending talk with rose twice she had walked by the perfect doorway of the mccrea house before she entered it because she shrank from the ordeal that awaited her in there they had been seeing each other with reasonable frequency all winter the Ald riches had portia and her mother in to a family dinner pretty of often ten and always came out to edge waier wafer tor for a one dinner with the St S antons on sunday mrs stanton had bad taken a great liking to rodney his manner toward her had just the blend of deference and breezy unconventionality that pleased her he showed an unending interest in the woman movement never tired of drawing from his mother in law the story of her labors and the exposition of her beliefs sometimes he argued with her playfully in order to get her started more often and so tar far as portia could see quite seriously h he professed himself in full accord with her views the reason why these family parties were at an end was what portia came to tell rose this morning she hoped shed be able to tell it gently rose greeted her with a hello angell angel why you come up it disgraceful to be lying around in bed like this in the middle of the morning 1 I dont know said portia might as well stay in bed it if youve nothing to do when you get up she meant it to sound good humored but was waa afraid it anyhow she sha add 4 ed after a straight look into roses face you look tills this morning as if bed was just where you ought to be the matter with you child nothing said rose 1 nothing that call anything abany at any rate portia smiled ironically im still the same old dragon then she said and then im sorry I 1 mean alean to say bay that either cither iye ive had a rather worrying sort of week what Is it said rose tell me about it can I 1 help no said portia ive thought it over and it your job she got up tip and went to tho the window and stood looking out where rose see lier her face its about mother she concluded rose sat up cp with a jerk about mo mother therl 1 she echoed has she been III a again this week and you havea let me know I 1 its a shame I 1 been around but ive been busy her smile reflected some of the irony of and rather miserable of course I 1 was going tills this afternoon yes said portia 1 I fancied come this afternoon why I 1 wanted to see you alone first alone I 1 rose leaned sharply forward oh dont stand there where I 1 cant see youl tell me what it Is 11 im going to said portia you see I 1 satisfied with old murray I 1 thought it was possible either that he understand mothers case care or else that he tell me what he suspected so a week ago today I 1 got her to go with me to a specialist her voice got a little harder and cooler Mot motheral Mother herll 11 never be well rose her heart Is getting flabby degenerating he be called it he says anys we cant do anything except to retard the progress of the disease it may go fast or it may go slowly that attack she had was just a symptom he said shell have others and by and by of course a fatal one still she look around from the window she knew rose was crying she had heard beard the gasp and choke that followed her first announcement of the news and since then irregularly a muffled sound of sobbing she wanted to go over and comfort the young stricken thing there on the bed but she she could feel nothing but a dull irresistible anger that rose should have the easy relief of tears which had been denied her because portia cry he be said she went on that in this climate living as she has been doing shed hardly last six months but that in a bland elmate like southern california if ashes carefully watched all the time to prevent excitement nt or overexertion she might live alvea a good many years so what were going to do ive written the fletchers fletcherr Flet chers to look out a place palace for us and ive sold out my business took an offer that I 1 refused a month ago As soon as we hear from the fletchers fletcherr Flet chers well begin to pack within a week I 1 hope rose said a queer thing then she cried out incredulously and you and mother are going away to california to live I 1 and leave me here all alone I 1 all alone with the whole of your own life thought portia but say it 1 I cant realize it at all rose went on after a little silence it seem possible do you believe the specialist is right cant we go to someone else and make sure the use sold said portia besides if I 1 drag mother around to any more of them shell know rose roge looked up sharply she know no said portia in that hardegen hard har deven even voice of hers 1 I lied to her of course you know mother well enough to know what shed do if she knew the truth about it dont you ou know k now how its always pleased her when old people could die in harness as she say nasr r the ordeal or the worst of it was over rose was drooping forlornly forward forwar dt one arm clasped around her knees and she was trying to dry her teas tears on the sleeve of her nightgown the childlike pathos of the attitude caught portia like the surge of a wave she crossed the room and sat down on the edge of the bed shed have c ome come still closer and taken baken the girl in her arms but for the fear of crying again yes rose said mother and I 1 guess ashes right about it it must be horrible to be halt half alive ab to know youre no use ue and never will be bd and youve gone through this all alone t without ever giving rodney and me a chance to help I 1 dont see why you did that portia 4 1 oh I 1 saw it was my job portia said in that cool dry tone of hers it had to be done and there was no one one else todo to do it so what was wag the use of making a fuss IW well ell theres one thing rose bald 1 I believe do you as much good as mother getting a rest and it a nice little bungalow to live lo in just you qu and mother I 1 I 1 sort of wish I 1 was going too portia laughed a ragged unnatural sounding laugh that brought a look of inquiry from rose why nothing portia explained t it t was ans just the notion of your leaving rodney and till all youve got here zill nil the wonderful things you have to do for what well have out there the idea of your envying me Is something worth a small laugh dont you think roses head drooped lower she burled buried her face in her hands 1 I do envy you she said there was a 0 im something nice for him to ma e love to dull muffled passion in her voice why I 1 envy you youre so cold a and nd certain all the time you make up your mind what do and you do it I 1 try to do things and just make myself ridiculous youve got a husband said portia in a thin brittle voice that might count for something I 1 should think yes and what good am I 1 to him rose demanded he cant talk to me not about his work or anything like that and I 1 cant help him any way im something nice for him to make love to wh when en lie he feels like doing it and im it a nuisance when 1 make scenes and get tragic and all marr lige I 1 guess youre the lucky one portia the silence had lasted a good while before rose noticed that portia had not stirred had sat there as rigidly still as a figure carved in ivory becoming aware of that she raised her head portia looking at her but down at her own clenched hands it needed just that I 1 suppose she heard her older sister say between almost motionless lips 1 I thought it was pretty complete before but it took that to make it perfect that you think im the lucky one lucky never to have had a husband or anyone else forthal for that matter colove to love me and lucky now to have to give up the only substitute I 1 had for that portia I 1 rose cried out for the mordant alkaline bitterness in her sisters voice and the tragic irony in her face was almost terrifying but the outcry might never have been uttered for any effect it had bad 1 I hoped this happen the words come steadily on one at a taine ame 1 I hoped I 1 could get this over and get away out of your life altogether without letting it happen but I 1 cant perhaps its just as well perhaps it may do you some good but not why im doerig it it im doing it for myself just tor for once 1 im 1 in going to let got gol you wont like it youre going to get hurt rose drew herself erect and a curious change went over her face id so that you have known shed been crying she drew in a long breath and said very steadily tell me mb I 1 shant try to get away it A mati man came to our house one day to collect a bill portia went on quite as it if rose spoken mother was out arid I 1 was at home I 1 was seventeen bevente ea then getting ready to go to vassar you were only seven I 1 suppose lyou you were at school anyhow I 1 was at home and I 1 let him in rind and he made a fuss I 1 know we rich 1 of course I 1 never had quite enough pocket money but the ole joea of an old unpaid grocery bill made me sick I 1 talked things over with mother the next day told her I 1 going to college said I 1 was going to get a job I 1 got her to let me run all the accounts after that and to attend to everything and I 1 got a job and began paying my way within a week if I 1 had a thing like that to remember said rose unsteadily il Y id never forget to be proud of it so long as I 1 lived 1 I wish I 1 could be proud of it said portia but I 1 help making a sort of grievance of it too in nil all these years ive always made mother afraid of me always made her feel that I 1 wa was S somehow contemptuous of her work and ideas I 1 grubbed away until I 1 got things straightened out so that lier her income was enough to live on enough for her to live on id pulled her through but then but then there was me said rose 1 I thought I 1 was going to let you go portia went on inflexibly but things come out that way at least I 1 make up my mind to make them so you went to the university ver sity I 1 paid for that and I 1 paid for your trousseau and then I 1 was through rose wai was trembling but she flinch wh what was it she asked quietly |