Miss Lulu Bett

at the sky, and said with his manner of origi

k, upward look, ex

day, it looks

t the room, knees stiff, elbows stiff, shoulders immovable, her straight hair flapping about her face. The sad dance of the child who cannot dance because she never has danced. Di gave a conservative assent-she was at that age-and then took advantage of the fa

bled on the porch and Lulu came out with the basket,

id Ninian, "are

id Lulu.

y n

n to a picnic sinc

why

think of su

family to speak. They

regular

ly with: "Come with u

flushed. "Thank you,"

ithin the house, startlingly clos

l do you good. You

what I say. You hustle for

resented itself to Lulu as a pos

linen duster, over,"

wight incredulous

ughed at the ide

ng to make ready. Mrs. Bett hurried to help her, but she took down the wrong things and they were both irritated. Lulu reappeared in the li

oosing to walk beside her and the little girl. Oh, would Ina like that? And what did Lulu care what Ina liked? Mono

d Bobby Larkin appeared from nowhere,

ted, and Lulu could h

utterance. She wante

andwiches enough," was all

ept offering brightly to help, could think of nothing to do, and presently, bethinking himself of skipping stones, went and tried to skip them on the flowing river. Ina cut her hand opening the condensed milk and was obliged to sit under a tree and nurse the wound. Monona spilled all the salt and sou

people," he enunciated, "can not expect co

red it with extreme authority. Ina caught her lower lip with her teeth, d

f and salad had begun their orderly progression, Dwight b

t in the open. It's better than any tonic at a dollar the bottle. Nature's tonic-eh?

He loved the out-of-doors with a love which could not explain itself. B

er both ruffles. And mam

alf hour's use of that boat and invited to the waters his wife, his brother and his younger daughter. Ina was timid--not be

are you sure th

world. Whoever heard

not so ver

that had lived in a boat t

ride the face of the wife was as the face of the damned. It was true that she revered her husband's opinions above those of all other men. In politics, in science, in religion, in dentistry she looked up to his dicta a

d wished that he had gone. He had sat down near her, and she pretended not to see. At last Lulu understood that Ninian was deliberately choosin

examining the flocks and herds, was leading B

with some influence. The air of the time communicated itself to Lulu as intense and quiet happiness. She had not yet felt quiet with Ninian. For the first time her

began. "I think you have i

as genuinel

k like this all the time? I g

rk. I have a home wi

kind of a life of your own. You want it,

ever really had, until he had planted that longing. She had wanted she kn

ms," he said, "to me, coming alon

. Lulu's look, her head drooping, had the liquid air of the look of a young girl.

y good to me

k that? Because you've never had any

y treat

r slave." He puffed, frowning. "D

d Lulu. "We have o

ching you since I been here.

is the first pla

ou want to? Of

h places li

you'd ought to." He regarded her. "You've

that faint, unsuspect

n a good-looking m

tty good," he said. He regarded her approvingly. "I

I do

uick like that, w

is fashion to any one. It was as if some matter of life or death hung on her ability to speak an alien tongue. And yet, whe

nd education

r, and was in her blue gingham gown against the sky and leaves. But she sat stiffly, her feet carefully covered, her hands ill at

at's mine, too." He spoke a creed. "I ain't

ppy without an edu

t very hap

o," sh

hat we'll do. While I'm here I'm going to

the

nd a show. I'll give

rd. "Ina and Dwight go

k up what's good. You tell me just wha

nything to eat in years th

y word that he uttered. Yet it was not in that future merry-making that she found her

ing personalities. Frogs were chorusing in the near swamp, and Bobby wanted one. He was off after it. But Di eventually drew him back, reluctant, frogless. He entered upon an exhaustive account of the use of frogs for bait, and as he talked he constantly flung stones. Di

think we might be married, an

as that they both-and especially Di-so much wanted the experiences of attraction that they assumed its ways. And the

ed Bobby-but in

: "Yes.

way, wouldn't it?" said

mma and papa are

on't believe you could

ou're going to be a gre

course he knew it-b

pe and surprise the whole

e, his head of rough dark hair, the sky warm upon his clear skin and fu

ng lots of times,"

s he may not always have been the principal, and he could not

of the strong current, was seen to have its oars shipped; and the

-please!" you h

t, and did not know that he felt this. But he knew that he was annoyed, and he took refuge in

hinking," said Ina,

his was the last time that she would ever, ever go with her husband anywhere. Ever. Dwight Herbert, recovering, gauged the moment to require of him humour, and observed that his wedded wife was as skitt

him so overwhelmingly mature that he had no idea how to treat her. And the child Monona he would like to roll in the river. Even Di ... He fell silent, was silent on

ght, beside her mother who groaned in her sleep, Lulu lay tense and awake. He had walked home with

up and set up," Mrs. Be