Chapter Eleven through Chapter Sixteen Summary

In Chapter Eleven, Joe Talent returns home, very drunk. Shell serves his meal as he explains that he went to call on Nora, Father Carroll's housekeeper, but she wouldn't go out with him. He claims he did it for Shell and her siblings, to find a new mother, but Shell is shocked, and angered at his actions. When she protests, Joe grabs her and forces her to swear not to tell anyone. She agrees, and he goes into the night, crying. Shell cleans up, locking the bolt to her bedroom door, and sleeps.

Chapter Twelve finds Shell waking in the middle of the night to hear Jimmy moaning, sweating in a high fever. Shell, fearing meningitis, flees the house to run to town to call on Dr. Fallon. Angry at first, Fallon soon realizes Shell...