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spouse。 〃My Lord！〃 he said。 〃If a little； teeny bit o' work like this is too
much for him； why； he ain't fit for anything！ It's nine…tenths imagination；
and the rest of itwell； I won't say it's deliberate； but I WOULD like to
know just how much of it's put on！〃
〃Bibbs didn't want the doctor；〃 said Mrs。 Sheridan。 〃It was when he was here
to dinner that night； and noticed how he couldn't eat anything。 Honey； you
better come to bed。〃
〃Eat！〃 he snorted。 〃Eat！ It's work that makes men eat！ And it's imagination
that keeps people from eatin'。 Busy men don't get time for that kind of
imagination； and there's another thing you'll notice about good health； if
you'll take the trouble to look around you； Mrs。 Sheridan： busy men haven't
got time to be sick and they don't GET sick。 You just think it over and
you'll find that ninety…nine per cent。 of the sick people you know are either
women or loafers。 Yes； ma'am！〃
〃Honey；〃 she said again； drowsily； 〃you better come to bed。〃
〃Look at the other boys；〃 her husband bade her。 〃Look at Jim and Roscoe。 Look
at how THEY work！ There isn't a shiftless bone in their bodies。 Work never
made Jim or Roscoe sick。 Jim takes half the load off my shoulders already。
Right now there isn't a harder…workin'； brighter business man in this city
than Jim。 I've pushed him； but he give me something to push AGAINST。 You
can't push 'nervous dyspepsia'！ And look at Roscoe； just LOOK at what that
boy's done for himself； and barely twenty…seven years old married； got a
fine wife； and ready to build for himself with his own money； when I put up
the New House for you and Edie。〃
〃Papa； you'll catch cold in your bare feet；〃 she murmured。 〃You better come
to bed。〃
〃And I'm just as proud of Edie； for a girl；〃 he continued； emphatically； 〃as I
am of Jim and Roscoe for boys。 She'll make some man a mighty good wife when
the time comes。 She's the prettiest and talentedest girl in the United
States！ Look at that poem she wrote when she was in school and took the prize
with； it's the best poem I ever read in my life； and she'd never even tried to
write one before。 It's the finest thing I ever read； and R。 T。 Bloss said so；
too； and I guess he's a good enough literary judge for me turns out more
advertisin' liter'cher than any man in the city。 I tell you she's smart！
Look at the way she worked me to get me to promise the New Houseand I guess
you had your finger in that； too； mamma！ This old shack's good enough for me；
but you and little Edie 'll have to have your way。 I'll get behind her and
push her the same as I will Jim and Roscoe。 I tell you I'm mighty proud o'
them three chuldern！ But Bibbs〃 He paused； shaking his head。 〃Honest；
mamma； when I talk to men that got ALL their boys doin' well and worth their
salt； why； I have to keep my mind on Jim and Roscoe and forget about Bibbs。〃
Mrs。 Sheridan tossed her head fretfully upon the pillow。 〃You did the best
you could； papa；〃 she said； impatiently； 〃so come to bed and quit reproachin'
youself for it。〃
He glared at her indignantly。 〃Reproachin' myself！〃 he snorted。 〃I ain't
doin' anything of the kind！ What in the name o' goodness would I want to
reproach myself for？ And it wasn't the 'best I could；' either。 It was the
best ANYBODY could！ I was givin' him a chance to show what was in him and
make a man of himselfand here he goes and gets 'nervous dyspepsia' on me！〃
He went to the old…fashioned gas…fixture； turned out the light； and muttered
his way morosely into bed。
〃What？〃 said his wife； crossly； bothered by a subsequent mumbling。
〃More like hook…worm； I said；〃 he explained； speaking louder。 〃I don't know
what to do with him！〃
Beginning at the beginning and learning from the ground up was a long course
for Bibbs at the sanitarium； with milk and 〃zwieback〃 as the basis of
instruction； and the months were many and tiresome before he was considered
near enough graduation to go for a walk leaning on a nurse and a cane。 These
and subsequent months saw the planning； the building； and the completion of
the New House； and it was to that abode of Bigness that Bibbs was brought when
the cane； without the nurse； was found sufficient to his support。
Edith met him at the station。 〃Well； well； Bibbs！〃 she said； as he came
slowly through the gates； the last of all the travelers from that train。 She
gave his hand a brisk little shake； averting her eyes after a quick glance at
him； and turning at once toward the passage to the street。 〃Do you think they
ought to 've let you come？ You certainly don't look well！〃
〃But I certainly do look better；〃 he returned； in a voice as slow as his gait；
a drawl that was a necessity； for when Bibbs tried to speak quickly he
stammered。 〃Up to about a month ago it took two people to see me。 They had
to get me in a line between 'em！〃
Edith did not turn her eyes directly toward him again； after her first quick
glance； and her expression； in spite of her； showed a faint； troubled
distaste； the look of a healthy person pressed by some obligation of business
to visit a 〃bad〃 ward in a hospital。 She was nineteen； fair and slim； with
small； unequal features； but a prettiness of color and a brilliancy of eyes
that created a total impression close upon beauty。 Her movements were eager
and restless： there was something about her； as kind old ladies say； that was
very sweet； and there was something that was hurried and breathless。 This was
new to Bibbs； it was a perceptible change since he had last seen her； and he
bent upon her a steady； whimsical scrutiny as they stood at the curb； waiting
for an automobile across the street to disengage itself from the traffic。
〃That's the new car；〃 she said。 〃Everything's new。 We've got four now；
besides Jim's。 Roscoe's got two。〃
〃Edith； you look〃 he began； and paused。
〃Oh； WE're all well；〃 she said； briskly； and then； as if something in his tone
had caught her as significant； 〃Well； HOW do I look； Bibbs？〃
〃You look〃 He paused again； taking in the full length of herher trim
brown shoes； her scant； tapering； rough skirt； and her coat of brown and
green； her long green tippet and her mad little rough hat in the mad mode
all suited to the October day。
〃How do I look？〃 she insisted。
〃You look；〃 he answered； as his examination ended upon an incrusted watch of
platinum and enamel at her wrist； 〃you lookexpensive！〃 That was a
substitute for what he intended to say； for her constraint and preoccupation；
manifested particularly in her keeping her direct glance away from him； did
not seem to grant the privilege of impulsive intimacies。
〃I expect I am！〃 she laughed； and sidelong caught the direction of his glance。
〃Of course I oughtn't to wear it in the daytimeit's an evening thing； for
the theaterby my day wrist…watch is out of gear。 Bobby Lamhorn broke it
yesterday； he's a regular rowdy sometimes。 Do you want Claus to