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and to control him after the way of women。 She saw his future and
hers through glowing vistas of reform； and her first great deed was
when she wrung from him his promise to cease fighting。
And he； after the way of men； pursuing the dream of love and
striving for possession of the precious and deathless object of
desire； had yielded。 And yet； in the very moment of promising her；
he knew vaguely； deep down； that he could never abandon the Game；
that somewhere； sometime； in the future； he must go back to it。 And
he had had a swift vision of his mother and brothers and sisters；
their multitudinous wants； the house with its painting and
repairing； its street assessments and taxes； and of the coming of
children to him and Genevieve； and of his own daily wage in the
sail…making loft。 But the next moment the vision was dismissed； as
such warnings are always dismissed； and he saw before him only
Genevieve； and he knew only his hunger for her and the call of his
being to her； and he accepted calmly her calm assumption of his life
and actions。
He was twenty； she was eighteen； boy and girl； the pair of them； and
made for progeny； healthy and normal； with steady blood pounding
through their bodies； and wherever they went together； even on
Sunday outings across the bay amongst people who did not know him；
eyes were continually drawn to them。 He matched her girl's beauty
with his boy's beauty； her grace with his strength； her delicacy of
line and fibre with the harsher vigor and muscle of the male。
Frank…faced； fresh…colored； almost ingenuous in expression； eyes
blue and wide apart； he drew and held the gaze of more than one
woman far above him in the social scale。 Of such glances and dim
maternal promptings he was quite unconscious； though Genevieve was
quick to see and understand； and she knew each time the pang of a
fierce joy in that he was hers and that she held him in the hollow
of her hand。 He did see； however； and rather resented； the men's
glances drawn by her。 These； too； she saw and understood as he did
not dream of understanding。
CHAPTER III
Genevieve slipped on a pair of Joe's shoes； light…soled and dapper；
and laughed with Lottie； who stooped to turn up the trousers for
her。 Lottie was his sister； and in the secret。 To her was due the
inveigling of his mother into making a neighborhood call so that
they could have the house to themselves。 They went down into the
kitchen where Joe was waiting。 His face brightened as he came to
meet her； love shining frankly forth。
〃Now get up those skirts； Lottie；〃 he commanded。 〃Haven't any time
to waste。 There； that'll do。 You see； you only want the bottoms of
the pants to show。 The coat will cover the rest。 Now let's see how
it'll fit。
〃Borrowed it from Chris； he's a dead sporty sportlittle； but oh；
my！〃 he went on； helping Genevieve into an overcoat which fell to
her heels and which fitted her as a tailor…made over…coat should fit
the man for whom it is made。
Joe put a cap on her head and turned up the collar； which was
generous to exaggeration； meeting the cap and completely hiding her
hair。 When he buttoned the collar in front； its points served to
cover the cheeks； chin and mouth were buried in its depths； and a
close scrutiny revealed only shadowy eyes and a little less shadowy
nose。 She walked across the room； the bottom of the trousers just
showing as the bang of the coat was disturbed by movement。
〃A sport with a cold and afraid of catching more； all right all
right；〃 the boy laughed； proudly surveying his handiwork。 〃How much
money you got？ I'm layin' ten to six。 Will you take the short
end？〃
〃Who's short？〃 she asked。
〃Ponta； of course；〃 Lottie blurted out her hurt； as though there
could be any question of it even for an instant。
〃Of course；〃 Genevieve said sweetly； 〃only I don't know much about
such things。〃
This time Lottie kept her lips together； but the new hurt showed on
her face。 Joe looked at his watch and said it was time to go。 His
sister's arms went about his neck； and she kissed him soundly on the
lips。 She kissed Genevieve； too； and saw them to the gate； one arm
of her brother about her waist。
〃What does ten to six mean？〃 Genevieve asked； the while their
footfalls rang out on the frosty air。
〃That I'm the long end； the favorite；〃 he answered。 〃That a man
bets ten dollars at the ring side that I win against six dollars
another man is betting that I lose。〃
〃But if you're the favorite and everybody thinks you'll win； how
does anybody bet against you？〃
〃That's what makes prize…fightingdifference of opinion；〃 he
laughed。 〃Besides； there's always the chance of a lucky punch； an
accident。 Lots of chance；〃 he said gravely。
She shrank against him； clingingly and protectingly； and he laughed
with surety。
〃You wait； and you'll see。 An' don't get scared at the start。 The
first few rounds'll be something fierce。 That's Ponta's strong
point。 He's a wild man； with an kinds of punches；a whirlwind；
and he gets his man in the first rounds。 He's put away a whole lot
of cleverer and better men than him。 It's up to me to live through
it； that's all。 Then he'll be all in。 Then I go after him； just
watch。 You'll know when I go after him； an' I'll get'm； too。〃
They came to the hall； on a dark street…corner； ostensibly the
quarters of an athletic club； but in reality an institution designed
for pulling off fights and keeping within the police ordinance。 Joe
drew away from her； and they walked apart to the entrance。
〃Keep your hands in your pockets whatever you do；〃 Joe warned her；
〃and it'll be all right。 Only a couple of minutes of it。〃
〃He's with me；〃 Joe said to the door…keeper； who was talking with a
policeman。
Both men greeted him familiarly； taking no notice of his companion。
〃They never tumbled； nobody'll tumble；〃 Joe assured her； as they
climbed the stairs to the second story。 〃And even if they did； they
wouldn't know who it was and they's keep it mum for me。 Here； come
in here！〃
He whisked her into a little office…like room and left her seated on
a dusty； broken…bottomed chair。 A few minutes later he was back
again； clad in a long bath robe； canvas shoes on his feet。 She
began to tremble against him； and his arm passed gently around her。
〃It'll be all right； Genevieve；〃 he said encouragingly。 〃I've got
it all fixed。 Nobody'll tumble。〃
〃It's you； Joe；〃 she said。 〃I don't care for myself。 It's you。〃
〃Don't care for yourself！ But that's what I thought you were afraid
of！〃
He looked at her in amazement； the wonder of woman bursting upon him
in a more transcendent glory than ever； and he had seen much of the
wonder of woman in Genevieve。 He was speechless for a moment； and
then stammered：…
〃You mean me？ And you don't care what people think？ or anything？
or anything？〃