Saturday's Child

impses of watery sunlight, between long intervals of fogs and rains. Day after day broke dark and stormy, day after day the offic

dark windows, rain dripped from the cornice above the front door, the acrid odor of drying woolens and wet rubber coats permeated the halls. Mrs.

," her aunt said, in a worried way, now and then. But Susan, stubbornly shaking

n't, auntie! I

th was gone, and her heart broken, and her life wrecked beyond all repairing. Of the great world toward which she had sent so many hopeful and wistful and fascinated glances, a few years ago, she now stood in fear. It was a cruel world, cold an

iled so signally in this venture, her only possible course was concealment. Mary Lord did not guess--Mrs. Saunders did not guess--Auntie did not guess! Sus

ews of the Nippon Maru's peaceful arrival in Honolulu harbor, and the reception given there for the eminent New York novelist. Nobody spoke to

feared. Mrs. Lancaster felt indignantly that an injustice had been done Susan, was not at all sure that she herself would not call upon Miss Saunders and demand a full expla

after this outburst. "You don't act like yourself at all! Sometimes

of his hand again, she was equally miserable. Perhaps the need of him brought the keenest pang, but, after all, love with Susan was still the unknown quantity, she was too closely concerned with actual discomforts to be able to afford the necessary hours and leisure for brooding over a disappointment in love. That pain came only at intervals,--a voice, overheard in the street, would make her feel cold and weak with sudden memory, a

at Stephen was not coming back for her, sure that he was not willing to accept the situation as she had arranged it. If he rebelled,--

lulu,--his wife was dead, he had hurried home, he would presently come back to San Francisco, and claim Susan's promise. But for the most part she did not deceive herself; her friendship with Stephen Bocqueraz was over. It had gone out of her life as suddenly as it had come, and with it,

theatrical troupe. From these some slight accident might dash her to the bitterest depths of despondency. She would have a sudden, sick memory of Stephen'

e street, when the blinding rush of recollection came. And many a night she lay wakeful beside Mary Lou, her hands locked

f her own thoughts. Chief among them was the conviction of failure, she had tried to

ew months ago, much less be consoled by them. Over and over again the horrifying fact sprang from her lulled reveries: she was bad--

nd one person only knew that she had meant to do so. She had been blinded and confused by her experience

into the night. Susan's rare laughter was cut short by it, her brave resolves were felled by it, her ambition sank defeated before the memory of her utter,

at Yokohama. But it would be two months before an answer to that might be expected, and meanwhile there was g

quick. Ella had dashed off only a few lines of crisp news; Mary Peacock was with them now, they were all crazy about her. If Susan wanted a posi

that it might be as well to go and see the woman. She, Susan, had a knowledge of the social set that might be valuable in that connection. While she dr

d remarks, and had to have them repeated several times. Then she laughed heartily and merrily, and assured Susan in very

wing all the people--"

Madame asked, with horrible clear

o escape without

one, as she followed Susan to the door,

d Susan, after a

ck persuasive nod, "and your dinner. That

went out into the steadily falling rai

bout the house, restless and excited, unwilling to do anything that would take her away fr

s ago,--this was not a "disappointment in love,"--this was only a passing episode. Presently she would get herself in

Susan's return home, however it affected them financially, was a real delight t

a while these disappeared, and she spent a satisfied evening or two in filling blanks of application for admission into a hospital trai

ornings were swiftly gone; in the afternoon Susan and Mary Lou dressed with great care and went to market. They would stop at the library for a book, buy a little bag of

"Good-bye, Miss 'Ginia!" the unearthly, happy little voices would call, as the uncertain little feet echoed away. Susan rather liked the atmosphere of the big institution, and vaguely envied the brisk absorbed attendants who passed them on swift errands. Stout Mrs. Lancaster, fo

rolong Myra's visit from week to week. Georgie's first-born was a funny, merry little girl, and Susan developed a real talent for amusing her and caring for her, and grew very fond of her. The new baby was well into her second month before they took Myra home,--a dark, crumpled little thing Susan thought the newcomer, and she t

o be George Lancaster O'Connor!" said

amed Joseph Aloysius, like his father and gr

as kneeling beside the bed where little Helen

ay from me, Sue, because of that nonsens

pocket money for some weeks. After that Mary Lord brought home an order for twenty place-cards for a child's

o fill the evening. Susan really enjoyed the lazy evenings, after the lazy days. She and Mary Lou spent the first week in April in a flurry of linens and ginghams

d. Susan loved to walk to market now, loved to loiter over calls in the late after-noon, and walk home in the lingering s

elves in her nature. She told herself that one great consolation in her memories of Stephen Bocqueraz was that she was too entirely obscure a woman to be brought to the consideration of the public, whatever

out for a lonely walk, through the wind-blown, warm disorder of the summer streets, or som

lf-denial of her childhood. Now, failing these, she became but an irritable, depressed and discouraged caricature of her old self. Her mind was a distressed tribunal where she defended herself day and night; convincing this a

limit to the things that she COULD do. Mary Lou loved to read the witty little notes she could dash off at a moment's notice, Lydia Lord wiped her eyes with emotion that Susa

or drew clever sketches of Georgie's babies, or scribbled a jingle for a letter to amuse Virginia. And when Susan imitated Mrs. Patrick C

ort, that he was better groomed and better dressed than she was, and that there was in him some new and baffling quality, some reserve that she could not command. His quick friendly smile did not hide the fact that his attention was not all hers; he seemed pl

behind. He did not give her his confidence to-day, nor ask her advice. He scowled now and then, as if some under-current of her chatter va

t deep in his trousers pockets, and his half-shut, handsome eyes fixed on the rushi

plans, Sue?" he prese

lled by the h

said cheerfully. "But in the fall---" she made a bold appeal

echoed, arous

re to every one here," she went on, readily, "institutions and magazines and

," said Billy, drily. "Wha

ushed re

you!" she ret

ing to Mary Lou's ideas! I don't mean," Billy interrupted himself to say seriously, "that they weren't all perfectly dandy to me when I was a kid--you know how I love the whole bunch! But all that dope about not having a chance h

eping a boarding-house isn't quite the ideal occup

ath. Susan eyed him questioningly, but he did no

y, Susan was kissed by everybody, and Billy had a motherly kis

hem at once; found herself with her arms linked abou

ad! Who is it--and tell me all abo

at down with Betsey at her feet, Anna sitting on one arm of her l

Josephine, with a lovely awe in her eyes, "but we didn't say anything to Mrs. Frothingham or Ethel until later." They had all gone yachting together, and to Bar Harbor, and

hiest house you ever s

h Avenue--but you don't know where that

o be made until after a trip she would make with the Frothinghams to Yellowstone Park in September. Then t

fall in love with him!

iting list! You grab-all! He's simply perfection--rich an

king fellow, Sue," ad

an. "What did you say, William dear?" she added,

in the kitchen, Mrs. Carroll suddenly aske

" Susan said cheerfully. "I don't even know where h

was a

ewhere. However,---" she returned to the original theme, "Peter seems to be still enjoying life! Did you see the account of his hiring an electric delivery truck, and driving it about the city on Christ

hard he works for his fun! Well, after all tha

tchen through a blur of tears. "There are so many lives," she pursued, unsteadily, "that seem to miss their mark. I don't mean poor people. I mean strong, clever young women, who could do things, and who would love to do ce

head down on the tabl

rs. Carroll's cheek against her hair. "Why, little girl, you m

t if I was picked right out of this city and put down anywhere else on the globe, I could be useful and happy! But here I can't! How---" she appealed to the older woman

hy. "It's too bad, dear, it's just the sort of thing that I think you fine, energetic, capable y

ave no gift!" Susan

and that's service. Just to the degree that they serve people are happy, and no more. It's an infallible test. You can try nations by it, you can try kings and beggars. Poor people are just as unhappy as rich people, when they're idle; and rich people a

the poor, as a class, ar

course

's wives are unhapp

prons, and filling lamps and watering gardens that they can't stop to read the new magazines,--and those are the happiest people in the world

earnestly, wistfully.

can I

've been thinking of you lately, Sue, and wondering why you never thought of settlement work? You'd be so splendid, with your

ly. "I--I don't see why it should be!" And she s

usan to be her bridesmaid, Betsey pleaded for a long visit after the wedding, "we'll simply die without Jo!" and Anna

ck almost to themselves, lights twinkled everywhere about them, on the black waters of the bay. There was no moon. She presently m

her drift, laug

ngly reminiscent. "But I like Anna better now. Only I've sort of thou

's a doctor at the hospital, but he's awf

you--are you still crazy

for months. But I don't se

thing out of Mrs. Carroll's window washer?" Billy a

ollars for it!" Susan flash

ew that,"

e make more than T

dware people for twenty-five tho

r W

g to put them into lots of new apartments. The Nationa

ean twenty-f

ou! It was in the 'Scientific A

moment's sh

eve he would do that

was legal enough. She was pleased with her five hundred, and I suppose he told himself tha

an burst out. "What did Peter Col

uilt up," Billy said. "You happen to see thi

eter Coleman again!" S

p in factories, or paying factory girls less than they can live on, and drawing rent from the houses where they are ruined, body and soul! The other day some of our men were discharged because of bad times, and as they walked out they passed Carpenter's eighteen-year-old daughter sitting in th

le for the people who rent th

ce-looking maids, nice-looking chauffeurs, and magnificent c

Susan; she felt he

mused Billy, not notici

the whole story out. The hour, the darkness, the effect of Josephine's protected happiness, a

ly upon the swift rush of events that had confused her sense o

ake Bocqueraz's protestations very seriously. Susan found herself in the o

u, Sue," he added, with fraternal kindly contempt, "Of course you would take him seriously, and believe ev

t Billy should think Bocqueraz less in earnest than she had been, should imagi

and I'll bet he thought he got out of it pretty well, too! After the thing had once started, he probably b

ven beyond anger by outraged pride. But, as the enormity of her question

at a blackguard! What a skunk!" And Billy got up with a short breath, as if he were suff

g her confidence, she had been warmed by the thought of the amazing and romantic quality of her news, she had thought that Bocqueraz's admiration would seem a great thing in Billy's eyes. Now she fel

ide her, and laid his hand over hers. Sh

you're too darned easy, you poor kid. But thank God, you got out in time. It would have killed your aunt," said Billy, with a little shudder,

She could have burst into frantic tears; she would gladly have felt the boat sinking

boat, the warm and dusty ferry-place, the jerking cable-car, the

herself in bed, her heart beating fast, her eyes wide and bright. Susan me

face in her pillow, turned and tossed again. Shame shook her, worried her in dreams, agonized her wh

in the sky when she crept wearil

s it?" aske

sank back gratefully, and Susan dressed in the dim light. She c

mute and chilled on the dummy until she reached the terminal, and walked blindly down to t

lifting, to show barges at anchor, and empty rowboats rocking by the pier. The tide was low, piles closely covered with shining bl

watery sand, and curved away from the path of the waves in obedience to her mother's voice. She remembered walks home beside the roaring water, with the wind whist

her mother had called her, in the blissful hou

tical, absurd Mary Lou, and homely Lydia Lord, and little Miss Sherman at the offi

d soft against the bluer sky. Ferry boats cut delicate lines of foam in the sheen of the bay, morning whistles awakened the town. Susan felt the sun's grateful warmth on her shoulders and, watching the daily miracle of birth, felt vaguely some corresp

ere is a place somewhere for me," thought Susan, walking h

d stay until Josephine's wedding on December third? "It will be our last time all together in one s

ally like a bank," said poor Mrs. Lancaster, but Ma had nearly fainted when first she saw her only son in this enclosure, and never would enter the bakery again. The Alfreds lived in a five-room flat bristling with modern art papers and shining woodwork; the dining-room was papered in a bold red, with black wood trimmings and plate-rail; the little drawing-room had a gas-log surrounded with green tiles. Freda made endless pillows for the narrow velour couch, and was very proud of her Mission rocking-chairs and tasseled portieres. Her mother's wedding-gift had been a piano with a mechanical player attached; the bride w

y sauce on his pudding. She frankly admitted that she "yelled bloody murder" if he suggested absenting himself from her side f

Alfie did, he couldn't stop right off short, wi

ed for a woman to admit that her husband had his failings, and Mary Lou said frankly that it was easy enough to see where THAT marriage would end, but Susan read mo