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〃You do beat the devil！〃 exclaimed Gurney。 〃Your father's right when he tells
me you're a mystery。 Perhaps the Almighty knew what He was doing when He made
you； but it takes a lot of faith to believe it！ Well； I'm off。 Go on back to
your murdering old machine。〃 He climbed into his car； which he operated
himself； but he refrained from setting it immediately in motion。 〃Well； I
rubbed it in on the old man that you had warned him not to slide his hand
along too far； and that he got hurt because he didn't pay attention to your
warning； and because he was trying to show you how to do something you were
already doing a great deal better than he could。 You tell him I'll be around
to look at it and change the dressing to…morrow morning。 Good…by。〃
But when he paid the promised visit； the next morning； he did more than change
the dressing upon the damaged hand。 The injury was severe of its kind； and
Gurney spent a long time over it； though Sheridan was rebellious and scornful；
being brought to a degree of tractability only by means of horrible threats
and talk of amputation。 However； he appeared at the dinner…table with his
hand supported in a sling； which he seemed to regard as an indignity； while
the natural inquiries upon the subject evidently struck him as deliberate
insults。 Mrs。 Sheridan； having been unable to contain her solicitude several
times during the day； and having been checked each time in a manner that
blanched her cheek； hastened to warn Roscoe and Sibyl； upon their arrival at
five； to omit any reference to the injury and to avoid even looking at the
sling if they possibly could。
The Sheridans dined on Sundays at five。 Sibyl had taken pains not to arrive
either before or after the hand was precisely on the hour； and the members of
the family were all seated at the table within two minutes after she and
Roscoe had entered the house。
It was a glum gathering； overhung with portents。 The air seemed charged；
awaiting any tiny ignition to explode； and Mrs。 Sheridan's expression； as she
sat with her eyes fixed almost continually upon her husband； was that of a
person engaged in prayer。 Edith was pale and intent。 Roscoe looked ill；
Sibyl looked ill； and Sheridan looked both ill and explosive。 Bibbs had more
color than any of these； and there was a strange brightness； like a light；
upon his face。 It was curious to see anything so happy in the tense gloom of
that household。
Edith ate little； but gazed nearly all the time at her plate。 She never once
looked at Sibyl； though Sibyl now and then gave her a quick glance； heavily
charged； and then looked away。 Roscoe ate nothing； and； like Edith； kept his
eyes upon his plate and made believe to occupy himself with the viands
thereon； loading his fork frequently； but not lifting it to his mouth。 He did
not once look at his father； though his father gazed heavily at him most of
the time。 And between Edith and Sibyl； and between Roscoe and his father；
some bitter wireless communication seemed continually to be taking place
throughout the long silences prevailing during this enlivening ceremony of
Sabbath refection。
〃Didn't you go to church this morning； Bibbs？〃 his mother asked； in the effort
to break up one of those ghastly intervals。
〃What did you say； mother？〃
〃Didn't you go to church this morning？〃
〃I think so；〃 he answered； as from a roseate trance。
〃You THINK so！ Don't you know？〃
〃Oh yes。 Yes； I went to church！〃
〃Which one？〃
〃Just down the street。 It's brick。〃
〃What was the sermon about？〃
〃What； mother？〃
〃Can't you hear me？〃 she cried。 〃I asked you what the sermon was about？〃
He roused himself。 〃I think it was about〃 He frowned； seeming to
concentrate his will to recollect。 〃I think it was about something in the
Bible。〃
White…jacket George was glad of an opportunity to leave the room and lean upon
Mist' Jackson's shoulder in the pantry。 〃He don't know they WAS any suhmon！〃
he concluded； having narrated the dining…room dialogue。 〃All he know is he
was with 'at lady lives nex' do'！〃 George was right。
〃Did you go to church all by yourself； Bibbs？〃 Sibyl asked。
〃No；〃 he answered。 〃No； I didn't go alone。〃
〃Oh？〃 Sibyl gave the ejaculation an upward twist； as of mocking inquiry； and
followed it by another； expressive of hilarious comprehension。 〃OH！〃
Bibbs looked at her studiously； but she spoke no further。 And that completed
the conversation at the lugubrious feast。
Coffee came finally； was disposed of quickly； and the party dispersed to other
parts of the house。 Bibbs followed his father and Roscoe into the library；
but was not well received。
〃YOU go and listen to the phonograph with the women…folks；〃 Sheridan
commanded。
Bibbs retreated。 〃Sometimes you do seem to be a hard sort of man！〃 he said。
However； he went obediently to the gilt…and…brocade room in which his mother
and his sister and his sister…in…law had helplessly withdrawn； according to
their Sabbatical custom。 Edith sat in a corner； tapping her feet together and
looking at them； Sibyl sat in the center of the room； examining a brooch which
she had detached from her throat； and Mrs。 Sheridan was looking over a
collection of records consisting exclusively of Caruso and rag…time。 She
selected one of the latter； remarking that she thought it 〃right pretty；〃 and
followed it with one of the former and the same remark。
As the second reached its conclusion； George appeared in the broad doorway；
seeming to have an errand there； but he did not speak。 Instead； he favored
Edith with a benevolent smile； and she immediately left the room； George
stepping aside for her to precede him； and then disappearing after her in the
hall with an air of successful diplomacy。 He made it perfectly clear that
Edith had given him secret instructions and that it had been his pride and
pleasure to fulfil them to the letter。
Sibyl stiffened in her chair； her lips parted； and she watched with curious
eyes the vanishing back of the white jacket。
〃What's that？〃 she asked； in a low voice； but sharply。
〃Here's another right pretty record；〃 said Mrs。 Sheridan； affecting with
patent nervousnessnot to hear。 And she unloosed the music。
Sibyl bit her lip and began to tap her chin with the brooch。 After a little
while she turned to Bibbs； who reposed at half…length in a gold chair； with
his eyes closed。
〃Where did Edith go？〃 she asked； curiously。
〃Edith？〃 he repeated； opening his eyes blankly。 〃Is she gone？〃
Sibyl got up and stood in the doorway。 She leaned against the casing； still
tapping her chin with the brooch。 Her eyes were dilating； she was suddenly at
high tension； and her expression had become one of sharp excitement。 She
listens intently。
When the record was spun out she could hear Sheridan rumbling in the library；
during the ensuing silence； and Roscoe's voice； querulous