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know！ And now this blow has fallen on him out of a clear sky； and you make
it out to be a hardship to do like he wants you to！ And all on earth he asks
is for you to go back to the work in a cheerful spirit； so it won't hurt you！
That's all he asks。 Look； Bibbs； we're gettin' back near home； but before we
get there I want you to promise me that you'll do what he asks you to。
Promise me！〃
In her earnestness she cleared away her black veil that she might see him
better； and it blew out on the smoky wind。 He readjusted it for her before
he spoke。
〃I'll go back in as cheerful a spirit as I can； mother；〃 he said。
〃There！〃 she exclaimed； satisfied。 〃That's a good boy！ That's all I wanted
you to say。〃
〃Don't give me any credit；〃 he said； ruefully。 〃There isn't anything else
for me to do。〃
〃Now； don't begin talkin' THAT way！〃
〃No； no；〃 he soothed her。 〃We'll have to begin to make the spirit a cheerful
one。 We may〃 They were turning into their own driveway as he spoke； and
he glanced at the old house next door。 Mary Vertrees was visible in the
twilight； standing upon the front steps； bareheaded； the door open behind
her。 She bowed gravely。
〃'We may'what？〃 asked Mrs。 Sheridan； with a slight impatience。
〃What is it； mother？〃
〃You said； 'We may；' and didn't finish what you were sayin'。〃
〃Did I？〃 said Bibbs； blankly。 〃Well； what WERE we saying？〃
〃Of all the queer boys！〃 she cried。 〃You always were。 Always！ You haven't
forgot what you just promised me； have you？〃
〃No；〃 he answered； as the car stopped。 〃No； the spirit will be as cheerful
as the flesh will let it； mother。 It won't do to behave like〃
His voice was low； and in her movement to descend from the car she failed to
here his final words。
〃Behave like who； Bibbs？〃
〃Nothing。〃
But she was fretful in her grief。 〃You said it wouldn't do to behave like
SOMEBODY。 Behave like WHO？〃
〃It was just nonsense；〃 he explained； turning to go in。 〃An obscure person I
don't think much of lately。〃
〃Behave like WHO？〃 she repeated； and upon his yielding to her petulant
insistence； she made up her mind that the only thing to do was to tell Dr。
Gurney about it。
〃Like Bildad the Shuhite！〃 was what Bibbs said。
The outward usualness of things continued after dinner。 It was Sheridan's
custom to read the evening paper beside the fire in the library； while his
wife； sitting near by； either sewed （from old habit） or allowed herself to be
repeatedly baffled by one of the simpler forms of solitaire。 To…night she
did neither； but sat in her customary chair； gazing at the fire； while
Sheridan let the unfolded paper rest upon his lap； though now and then he
lifted it； as if to read； and let it fall back upon his knees again。 Bibbs
came in noiselessly and sat in a corner； doing nothing； and from a
〃reception…room〃 across the hall an indistinct vocal murmur became just
audible at intervals。 Once； when this murmur grew louder； under stress of
some irrepressible merriment； Edith's voice could be heard〃Bobby； aren't
you awful！〃 and Sheridan glanced across at his wife appealingly。
She rose at once and went into the 〃reception…room〃； there was a flurry of
whispering； and the sound of tiptoeing in the hallEdith and her suitor
changing quarters to a more distant room。 Mrs。 Sheridan returned to her
chair in the library。
〃They won't bother you any more； papa；〃 she said； in a comforting voice。
〃She told me at lunch he'd 'phoned he wanted to come up this evening； and I
said I thought he'd better wait a few days； but she said she'd already told
him he could。〃 She paused； then added； rather guiltily： 〃I got kind of a
notion maybe Roscoe don't like him as much as he used to。 Maybe maybe you
better ask Roscoe； papa。〃 And as Sheridan nodded solemnly； she concluded； in
haste： 〃Don't say I said to。 I might be wrong about it； anyway。〃
He nodded again； and they sat for some time in a silence which Mrs。 Sheridan
broke with a little sniff； having fallen into a reverie that brought tears。
〃That Miss Vertrees was a good girl；〃 she said。 〃SHE was all right。〃
Her husband evidently had no difficulty in following her train of thought；
for he nodded once more； affirmatively。
〃Did youHow did you fix it about thethe Realty Company？〃 she faltered。
〃Did you
He rose heavily； helping himself to his feet by the arms of his chair。 〃I
fixed it；〃 he said； in a husky voice。 〃I moved Cantwell up； and put Johnston
in Cantwell's place； and split up Johnston's work among the four men with
salaries high enough to take it。〃 He went to her； put his hand upon her
shoulder； and drew a long； audible； tremulous breath。 〃It's my bedtime；
mamma； I'm goin' up。〃 He dropped the hand from her shoulder and moved slowly
away； but when he reached the door he stopped and spoke again； without
turning to look at her。 〃The Realty Company 'll go right on just the same；〃
he said。 〃It's likeit's like sand； mamma。 It puts me in mind of chuldern
playin' in a sand…pile。 One of 'em sticks his finger in the sand and makes a
hole； and another of 'em 'll pat the place with his hand； and all the little
grains of sand run in and fill it up and settle against one another； and
then； right away it's flat on top again； and you can't tell there ever was a
hole there。 The Realty Company 'll go on all right； mamma。 There ain't
anything anywhere； I reckon； that wouldn't go right onjust the same。〃
And he passed out slowly into the hall； then they heard his heavy tread upon
the stairs。
Mrs。 Sheridan； rising to follow him； turned a piteous face to her son。 〃It's
so forlong；〃 she said； chokingly。 〃That's the first time he spoke since he
came in the house this evening。 I know it must 'a' hurt him to hear Edith
laughin' with that Lamhorn。 She'd oughtn't to let him come； right the very
first evening this way； she'd oughtn't to done it！ She just seems to lose
her head over him； and it scares me。 You heard what Sibyl said the other
day； andand you heard whatwhat〃
〃What Edith said to Sibyl？〃 Bibbs finished the sentence for her。
〃We CAN'T have any trouble o' THAT kind！〃 she wailed。 〃Oh； it looks as if
movin' up to this New House had brought us awful bad luck！ It scares me！〃
She put both her hands over her face。 〃Oh； Bibbs； Bibbs！ if you only wasn't
so QUEER！ If you could only been a kind of dependable son！ I don't know
what we're all comin' to！〃 And； weeping； she followed her husband。
Bibbs gazed for a while at the fire； then he rose abruptly； like a man who
has come to a decision； and briskly sought the roomit was called 〃the
smoking…room〃where Edith sat with Mr。 Lamhorn。 They looked up in no
welcoming manner； at Bibbs's entrance； and moved their chairs to a less
conspicuous adjacency。
〃Good evening；〃 said Bibbs； pleasantly； and he seated himself i