It was not until Lucy wasold enough to go to high
school that Pauline began to be jealous ofher. Tonight, through the soft twilight,
everything in her was reachingoutward, straining forward.
As a little girl Lucy had trained herselfto close
her mind when her sister went rambling on. Littlered apples still clung to the
boughs, and a few withered grey-greenleaves.
Onlyout here in the orchard could she feel safe.
The tides that raced through the open worldnever came here. Milton came, and Harry
stepped aside and motioned him to thewindow. Pauline was in the dining-room, setting
the table. Once a puppy, run over by a wagon in front of their house,had cried like
that. She was a fair-skinned woman,slender and graceful, but far from
young.
But here I can have a crop under my eyes andmake a
good thing of it.
She gave the old songs, even the most hackneyed,
their full value. She was sowithout any such power that even to think of it
heartened her alittle. She must have it, she couldnt run away from it.
Died trying to save a lame man, thepaper
said.
She caught Paulines chubby handand broke out
wildly: I cant stand it, I cant! Friends and neighbours often praised the way in
which shebrought the little girl up.
I thought I might go down to play for
Mrs.
At least, it wasnt so bad as somepeople thought;
the man hadnt jilted her. And I want you to give her your personalattention.