“Not yet,” said Helen, “but I will be soon.”
Then she told them about Mr. Hugh T.
Barton, the cash register salesman.
She spoke loyally and kindly of him, without great love.
“He’s ten years older than I am,” she said.
“Well,” said Eliza thoughtfully, moulding her lips.
“They sometimes make the best husbands.”
After a moment, she asked: “Has he got any property?”
“No,” said Helen, “they live up all he makes.
They live in style, I tell you.
There are two servants in that house all the time.
The old lady doesn’t turn her hand over.”
“Where are you going to live?” said Eliza sharply.
“With his folks?”
“Well, I should say not!
I should say not!” said Helen slowly and emphatically.
“Good heavens, mama!” she continued irritably.
“I want a home of my own.
Can’t you realize that?
I’ve been doing for others all my life.
Now I’m going to let them do for me.
I want no inlaws about.
No, sir!” she said emphatically.
Luke bit his nails nervously.
“Well, he’s g-g-getting a great g-g-girl,” he said.
“I hope he has sense enough to realize that.”
Moved, she laughed bigly, ironically.
“I’ve got one booster, haven’t I?” she said. She looked at him seriously with clear affectionate eyes.
“Well, thanks, Luke.
You’re one of the lot that’s always had the interests of the family at heart.”
Her big face was for a moment tranquil and eager.
A great calm lay there: the radiant decent beauty of dawn and rainwater.
Her eyes were as luminous and believing as a child’s.
No evil dwelt in her.
She had learned nothing.
“Have you told your papa?” said Eliza, presently.
“No,” she said, after a pause,
“I haven’t.”
They thought of Gant in silence, with wonder.
Her going was a marvel.
“I have a right to my own life,” said Helen angrily, as if some one disputed that right, “as much as any one.
Good heavens, mama!
You and papa have lived your lives — don’t you know that?
Do you think it’s right that I should go on forever looking after him?
Do you?”
Her voice rose under the stress of hysteria.
“Why, no-o.
I never said —” Eliza began, flustered and conciliatory.
“You’ve spent your life f-f-finking of others and not of yourself,” said Luke.
“That’s the trouble.