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"He is the nicest boy I know," said Anne, enthusiastically. "Oh, oh," gurgled silly Lutie, shaking her finger at the two girls as they stood together on the top step of the porch. "Don't get jealous of each other, you two." "Jealous?" asked Anne's innocent eyes. "Jealous?" blazed Judy's indignant eyes. "Don't be a goose, Lutie." Judy was trying to control her temper.
"Then there were the responses, Simmy,—the same that we had, Lutie and I,—just the same, only they sounded queer and awful and strange to-day. Only young people ought to get married, Simmy. It doesn't seem so rotten when young people lie like that to each other.
If I ever do anything like that it will not be with Lutie as the excuse. I'll not drag her name into it. Mind you, I'm not saying I'll never smash some one's head, but—" "I didn't mean that, at all," said Simmy. "And you needn't preach temperance to me," went on George. "I know that liquor isn't good for me. I hate the stuff, as a matter of fact.
I knew that when I came here three weeks ago." "Then why did you come?" he demanded. She replied with a directness that shamed him. "Because I do not want people to talk about Lutie. That is one reason. Another is that I wanted to do my share in looking after George." Suddenly her eyes narrowed. "You—you do not imagine that I—I—you couldn't have thought that of me, Braden."
That lady declared, quite bitterly, that inasmuch as her son did not seem inclined to return to her home he might do a great deal worse than to remain where he was, and it was some time before Simmy grasped the full significance of the remark. He remembered hearing Lutie say that she was going to take George home with her as soon as he was able to be moved!
It did sum up the business, neatly and compactly. Strange that she had never thought of that admirable word before! "And of the two of us, George, I am the worst offender. I went about my mistake deliberately. I suppose it is only right that I should pay the heavier price." "If I thought there was a chance to get Lutie back, I'd—" But there he stopped as he always stopped.
"No more wonderful, my dear, than Lutie Carnahan, if you will pause for a moment to think of what she did." "She is very proud, and very happy," said Anne dubiously. "She and George may refuse to accept this—" "My dear Anne," interrupted her mother calmly, "pray let me remind you that Lutie is no fool. And now, tell me something about your plans. Where are you going for the summer?"
People who didn't know used to stop in front of the Place and listen, and think it was a Surgical Institute. There were enough Soprani in this one Plant to keep Maurice Grau stocked up for a Hundred Years. Every one thought she was the Particular One who would sooner or later send Melba back to Australia and drive Sembrich into the Continuous. Lutie was just about as Nifty as the Next One.
You are no more constant in your love for Lutie than I am in my love for the man I shall never have. My man despises me. Your woman merely pities you. You can retake what you have lost. I cannot. But why shouldn't I go on loving my man, just as you are loving your woman? Why shouldn't I?" she cried out fiercely. He gulped. "Oh, I say, Anne, I—I didn't dream that it meant so much to you.
"Simmy is waiting down below in the car. I just dropped in for a moment. Can't keep him waiting, Lutie, so I'll—" "Won't you spare me a few moments, Braden?" said Anne steadily. "There is something that I must say to you. To-morrow will not do. It must be now." He looked concerned. "Has anything serious—" "Nothing—yet," she broke in, anticipating his question.
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