Virginia stared at him in dismay.

“But what are we going to do now?” she cried.

Fanny had collapsed on to a chair, the picture of utter discouragement.  Weakly she repeated after her sister: 

“Yes, what are we going to do now?”

“Don’t worry,” smiled the young man confidently.  “Everything’s going to be all right.”

“But if it shouldn’t?” argued his wife.

“It will,” he retorted.  With a significant glance towards his sister-in-law, he added:  “You know about my new idea!”

Fanny gave a snort of scornful incredulity.

“Oh, you and your ideas!”

He shrugged his shoulders contemptuously.  What was the good of arguing with a bunch of women?  That was just how his ideas had always been laughed at, and that was why he had never been able to do anything with them.  Angrily he exclaimed: 

“I know what you think about ’em.  Gee, but ain’t you women the comforting lot!”

With this parting shot he turned on his heel and disappeared into the kitchen.  Virginia, afraid that she was the cause of this little domestic storm, said apologetically: 

“I’m sorry you quarrelled.  Don’t blame him too much, though.  Things are rather hard for him.”

“For him?” echoed Fanny in surprise.  “What about you?”

“Oh, I’ll manage,” replied her sister quietly.

“He had no right to lose that job,” said Fanny angrily.

“He’ll soon find another,” said Virginia encouragingly.  “Till he does we’ll get along some way.  We’ve shared the good times together and we’ll take the hard ones the same way.”

“My, but you are a thoroughbred!” exclaimed her sister admiringly.  “If any girl ever deserved to be happy, you’re the one.”

“The same to you and many of them,” laughed Virginia.

At that moment the front doorbell rang.  Fanny half rose to go and open, but sat down again.

“Oh, it’s only the postman.  Jimmie will go.”

Taking both her sister’s hands in hers and bending over, Fanny embraced her sister affectionately.  Soothingly she said: 

“Things ought to turn for you pretty soon, dear.  I hope that they will.  How I hope they do!”

As she spoke the front doorbell rang again, this time more loudly.  Fanny started to her feet.

“I thought Jimmie was there.  He must have gone out.”

“I wonder who it is?” murmured Virginia.

“I’ll go and see,” said Fanny.  “I hope it isn’t company.  Our next door neighbors have been threatening to call for some time.”

In no humor to be bothered by visitors, Virginia rose hastily.

“I don’t want to see anyone,” she said.  “I’ll go and lie down.”

As her sister went toward the door, Virginia made a quick escape into the bedroom.

CHAPTER XXII

When the telephone message had come, telling him that his wife wished to see him, Stafford had been instantly raised from the depths of gloomy despondency, to dizzy heights of hope and joy.  A mere sound wave vibrating along a copper wire had made him the happiest and most amazed man in New York.