Part 32 (1/2)

”Where's Mother?”

”Gone downstairs to see how the Noon baby is.”

”Norma,” said Wolf, without preamble, ”did you see Chris Liggett to-day?”

Her colour flamed high, but her eyes did not waver.

”Yes. We met at Sherry's. We had lunch together.”

”You didn't meet by accident?” There was desperate hope in Wolf's voice.

But Norma would not lie. With her simple negative her head drooped, and she looked at her locked fingers in silence.

Wolf was silent, too, for a long minute. Then he cleared his throat, and spoke quietly and sensibly.

”I've been a long time waking up, Nono,” he said. ”I'm sorry! Of course I knew that there was a difference; I knew that you--felt differently.

And I guessed that it was Chris. Norma, do you--do you still like him?”

She looked up wretchedly, nodding her head.

”More”--he began, and stopped--”more than you do me?” he asked. And in the silence he added suddenly: ”Norma, I thought we were so happy!”

Then the tears came.

”Wolf, I'll never love any one more than I do you!” the girl said, pa.s.sionately. ”You've always been an angel to me--always the best friend I ever had. I know you--I know what you are to Rose, Aunt Kate, and what the men at the factory think of you. I'm not fit to tie your shoes! I'm wicked, and selfish, and--and everything I oughtn't to be! But I can't help it. I've wanted you to know--all there was to know. I've met him, and we've talked and walked together; that's all. And that's all we want--just to be friends. I'm sorry----” Her voice trailed off on a sob.

”I'm awfully sorry!” she said.

”Yes,” Wolf said, slowly, after a pause, ”I'm sorry, too!”

He sat down, rumpling his hair, frowning. Norma, watching him fearfully, noticed that he was very pale.

”I thought we were so happy,” he said again, simply.

”Ah, Wolf, don't think I've been fooling all this summer!” his wife pleaded, her eyes filling afresh. ”I've loved it all--the peach ice-cream, and the picnics, and everything. But--but people can't help this sort of thing, can they? It does happen, and--and they just simply have to make the best of it, don't they? If--if we go to California next month--you know that I'll do everything I can----!”

He was not listening to her.

”Norma,” he interrupted, sharply, ”if Liggett's wife was out of the way--would you want to marry him?”

”Wolf!--what's the use of asking that? You only--you only excite us both. Aunt Alice _isn't_ out of the way, and even if she were, I am your wife. I'm sorry. I'll never meet him again--I haven't been a bit happy about it. I'll promise you that I will not see him again.”

”I don't ask you for that promise,” Wolf said. ”I don't know what we can do! I never should have let you--I shouldn't have been such a fool as to--but somehow, I'd always dreamed that you and I would marry.

Well!”--he interrupted his musing with resolute cheerfulness--”I've got to get over to the library to-night,” he said, ”for I may have to start for Phily to-morrow afternoon. Will you tell Mother----”

Norma immediately protested that she was going with him, but he patiently declined, kissing her in a matter-of-fact sort of way as he pulled on the old overcoat and the new gloves, and slamming the hall door behind him when he went.

For a minute she stood looking after him, with a great heartache almost blinding her. Then she flashed to her room, and before Wolf had reached the corner his wife had slipped her hand into his arm, and her little double step was keeping pace with his long stride in the way they both loved.

She talked to him in her usual manner, and presently he could answer normally, and they bought peppermints to soften their literary labours.