“Yes, Joe, I’ll—­marry you—­and—­oh, I’m very happy!  Please go now, dear!  Please go—­go!”

And when he had gone she still sat very still.

From that night the name of her sister was not spoken between them—­was not spoken for nearly two years.

She grew used to being held in Joe’s arms, to his kisses and to his voice that had changed, to the things he said and the way his eyes looked into hers.  That hunger, it was always there, and growing, always growing!  The feeling she’d never had before, that—­“We’re to be parts of one another!”—­deepened, thrilled her with its depth, dazzled and confused her mind.

One day she went to Amy’s room, and slowly began looking over the clothes.  From the closet and the drawers, in a careful, tender way she took the shimmering little gowns and dainty hats and slippers, silk stockings, filmy night-gowns—­and packed them into boxes.  All were to be given away.  “I couldn’t!” Her throat contracting, she turned away with a sharp pang of pity and of jealousy and of a deep, deep tenderness.

She lavished her love upon Amy’s child.  What adorable little garments she bought for Susette, those autumn days.  And at night, bending over her cradle, Ethel would whisper to her, “Oh, I’m dreaming, dreaming, dear!” And to Susette this was a huge joke, and they would laugh at it like mad.  “Oh, my precious loved one!  What a fine, happy life we’ll lead!”

CHAPTER IX

They were married early in December.  There were no preparations to be made, for a wedding is nothing without friends, and they had none but Amy’s and though Joe said nothing to Ethel about it, she knew he had not sent them word.  “It’s better,” she thought.  She herself wrote to a few girl friends, but they were scattered all over the country.  No one of them would be coming East.  And at times she felt very lonely.  With memories of weddings at home and of her dreams for one of her own, which she had planned so often, she begged Joe to let her be married in church, and Joe gave in good-naturedly.  He did not go to the minister who had buried Amy a year before, but to one who had a small Presbyterian church on the next street.  There he soon arranged to be married.  But then, in his ignorance of such matters, Joe said, in his blunt, off-hand way: 

“I like to settle these things ahead.  So if you’ll just name the amount—­” he stopped.  For the clergyman straightened up as though at an insult.  Joe reddened.  “Look here,” he blurted, “I didn’t mean—­”

“Oh, that’s all right.”  The other man was smiling queerly.  “How long have you been in New York?” he asked.

“Nine years.”

“Ever been inside of a church?”

“No, I can’t say that I have.”

“Then why do you want to get married here?”

Joe smiled frankly.  “The bride’s idea.”