Undertow

n, for a week-end visit. Dorothy had married now, and had a baby. She was living in a ren

ted by Dorothy's casual intimation that "the car" would come for them, and that this particular week-end was "the big dance, at the

quiet old Danish woman who had been with them since they came back from the woods, the year before. Nancy, full of excited anticipation, packe

k of anything friendly to say to him, as they wheeled through the streets. Bert kept them waiting,

me out and greete

ley. Hawkes spoke at last. "An old friend of Mrs. Benchley has unexpectedly arrived this morning, sir,

d to be thinking of his sons, and asked of them more than once. And Nancy could not rid herself of an uncomfortable suspicion that whoever Dorothy's old friend wa

al summer tenancy. There were countless rooms, all filled with tables and chairs and rugs and desks and bowls of flowers; and several maids came and went in the interest of the comfort of the house. There were seven or eight other guests besides the Bradleys, and

ly young and lovely in what Nancy supposed to be a carefully-selected costume; later she realized that all Dorothy's clothes

k!" but Nancy had nothing prettier than the taffeta, except her evening gown, and as the sunshine was streaming into the room, she could not change to that. So she merely freshened her

and other drinks were being dispensed by Elaine, whose attention was meanwhile absorbed by two young men. Dorothy, lying

middle-aged man nearest him, Dorothy dutifully addressed herself to Nancy. They spoke of Bert's mother, and of Boston, and Dorothy asked

g to have twenty people to dinner, she runs this big house, she's

erful maids," sugge

ogs. But of course we're away a lot, and then they always have parties," she added, "and they run thi

cy, trying to appear brightl

re most considerately and hospitably accepted by the entire establishment. But something was wrong. Nancy did not know what

The quiet wife of an obscure man, rejoicing in her home and her children, had a thousan

"Did you hear her explain that she thought we'd be more comfort

!" Nancy sai

r she isn't spoil

ly it

not so bad. He's in the firm now, you know, and Dorothy

ame her face in its usual rich waves, and lay flat or split into unexpected partings despite her repe

, dropping the brown strands, and tossing the whole