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〃But you will have when you get your strength back。〃
〃Oh yes！〃 he responded； cheerfully。 〃THEN I will。〃
〃You look a great deal better than what I expected。〃
〃Edith must have a great vocabulary！〃 he chuckled。
〃She's too sensitive；〃 said Mrs。 Sheridan； 〃and it makes her exaggerate a
little。 What about your diet？〃
〃That's all right。 They told me to eat anything。〃
〃Anything at all？〃
〃Wellanything I could。〃
〃That's good；〃 she said； nodding。 〃They mean for you just to build up your
strength。 That's what they told me the last time I went to see you at the
sanitarium。 You look better than what you did then； and that's only a little
time ago。 How long was it？〃
〃Eight months； I think。〃
〃No； it couldn't be。 I know it ain't THAT long； but maybe it was longer 'n I
thought。 And this last month or so I haven't had scarcely even time to write
more than just a line to ask how you were gettin' along； but I told Edith to
write； the weeks I couldn't； and I asked Jim to； too； and they both said they
would； so I suppose you've kept up pretty well on the home news。〃
〃Oh yes。〃
〃What I think you need；〃 said the mother； gravely； 〃is to liven up a little
and take an interest in things。 That's what papa was sayin' this morning；
after we got your telegram； and that's what 'll stimilate your appetite； too。
He was talkin' over his plans for you〃
〃Plans？〃 Bibbs； turning on his side； shielded his eyes from the light with
his hand； so that he might see her better。 〃What〃 He paused。 〃What plans
is he making for me； mother？〃
She turned away； going back to the window to draw down the shade。 〃Well； you
better talk it over with HIM；〃 she said； with perceptible nervousness。 〃He
better tell you himself。 I don't feel as if I had any call； exactly； to go
into it； and you better get to sleep now； anyway。〃 She came and stood by the
bedside once more。 〃But you must remember； Bibbs； whatever papa does is for
the best。 He loves his chuldern and wants to do what's right by ALL of 'em
and you'll always find he's right in the end。〃
He made a little gesture of assent； which seemed to content her； and she
rustled to the door； turning to speak again after she had opened it。 〃You get
a good nap； now； so as to be all rested up for to…night。〃
〃Youyou meanhe〃 Bibbs stammered； having begun to speak too quickly。
Checking himself； he drew a long breath； then asked； quietly； 〃Does father
expect me to come down…stairs this evening？〃
〃Well； I think he does；〃 she answered。 〃You see； it's the 'house…warming；' as
he calls it； and he said he thinks all our chuldern ought to be around us； as
well as the old friends and other folks。 It's just what he thinks you
needto take an interest and liven up。 You don't feel too bad to come down；
do you？〃
〃Mother？〃
〃Well？〃
〃Take a good look at me；〃 he said。
〃Oh； see here！〃 she cried； with brusque cheerfulness。 〃You're not so bad off
as you think you are； Bibbs。 You're on the mend； and it won't do you any harm
to please your〃
〃It isn't that；〃 he interrupted。 〃Honestly； I'm only afraid it might spoil
somebody's appetite。 Edith〃
〃I told you the child was too sensitive；〃 she interrupted； in turn。 〃You're a
plenty good…lookin' enough young man for anybody！ You look like you been
through a long spell and begun to get well； and that's all there is to it。〃
〃All right。 I'll come to the party。 If the rest of you can stand it； I can！〃
〃It 'll do you good；〃 she returned； rustling into the hall。 〃Now take a nap；
and I'll send one o' the help to wake you in time for you to get dressed up
before dinner。 You go to sleep right away； now； Bibbs！〃
Bibbs was unable to obey； though he kept his eyes closed。 Something she had
said kept running in his mind； repeating itself over and over interminably。
〃His plans for youhis plans for youhis plans for youhis plans for you〃
And then； taking the place of 〃his plans for you；〃 after what seemed a long；
long while； her flurried voice came back to him insistently； seeming to
whisper in his ear： 〃He loves his chuldernhe loves his chuldernhe loves
his chuldern〃〃you'll find he's always rightyou'll find he's always
right〃 Until at last； as he drifted into the state of half…dreams and
distorted realities； the voice seemed to murmur from beyond a great black wing
that came out of the wall and stretched over his bedit was a black wing
within the room； and at the same time it was a black cloud crossing the sky；
bridging the whole earth from pole to pole。 It was a cloud of black smoke；
and out of the heart of it came a flurried voice whispering over and over；
〃His plans for youhis plans for youhis plans for you〃 And then there
was nothing。
He woke refreshed； stretched himself gingerlyas one might have a care
against too quick or too long a pull upon a frayed elasticand； getting to
his feet； went blinking to the window and touched the shade so that it flew
up； letting in a pale sunset。
He looked out into the lemon…colored light and smiled wanly at the next house；
as Edith's grandiose phrase came to mind； 〃the old Vertrees country mansion。〃
It stood in a broad lawn which was separated from the Sheridans' by a young
hedge； and it was a big； square； plain old box of a house with a giant
salt…cellar atop for a cupola。 Paint had been spared for a long time； and no
one could have put a name to the color of it； but in spite of that the place
had no look of being out at heel； and the sward was as neatly trimmed as the
Sheridans' own。
The separating hedge ran almost beneath Bibbs's windowfor this wing of the
New House extended here almost to the edge of the lotand； directly opposite
the window； the Vertreeses' lawn had been graded so as to make a little knoll
upon which stood a small rustic 〃summer…house。〃 It was almost on a level with
Bibbs's window and not thirty feet away； and it was easy for him to imagine
the present dynasty of Vertreeses in grievous outcry when they had found this
retreat ruined by the juxtaposition of the parvenu intruder。 Probably the
〃summer…house〃 was pleasant and pretty in summer。 It had the lookof a place
wherein little girls had played for a generation or so with dolls and
〃housekeeping；〃 or where a lovely old lady might come to read something dull
on warm afternoons； but now in the thin light it was desolate； the color of
dust； and hung with haggard vines which had lost their leaves。
Bibbs looked at it with grave sympathy； probably feeling some kinship with
anything so dismantled； then he turned to a cheval…glass beside the window and
paid himself the dubious tribute of a thorough inspection。 He looked the
mirror up and down； slowly； repeatedly； but came in the end to a long and
earnest scrutiny of the face。 Throughout this cryptic seance his manner was
profoundly impersonal； he had the air of an entomologist intent upon
classifying a specimen； but finall