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near enough graduation to go for a walk leaning on a nurse and a cane。 These
and subsequent months saw the planning； the building； and the completion of
the New House； and it was to that abode of Bigness that Bibbs was brought when
the cane； without the nurse； was found sufficient to his support。
Edith met him at the station。 〃Well； well； Bibbs！〃 she said； as he came
slowly through the gates； the last of all the travelers from that train。 She
gave his hand a brisk little shake； averting her eyes after a quick glance at
him； and turning at once toward the passage to the street。 〃Do you think they
ought to 've let you come？ You certainly don't look well！〃
〃But I certainly do look better；〃 he returned； in a voice as slow as his gait；
a drawl that was a necessity； for when Bibbs tried to speak quickly he
stammered。 〃Up to about a month ago it took two people to see me。 They had
to get me in a line between 'em！〃
Edith did not turn her eyes directly toward him again； after her first quick
glance； and her expression； in spite of her； showed a faint； troubled
distaste； the look of a healthy person pressed by some obligation of business
to visit a 〃bad〃 ward in a hospital。 She was nineteen； fair and slim； with
small； unequal features； but a prettiness of color and a brilliancy of eyes
that created a total impression close upon beauty。 Her movements were eager
and restless： there was something about her； as kind old ladies say； that was
very sweet； and there was something that was hurried and breathless。 This was
new to Bibbs； it was a perceptible change since he had last seen her； and he
bent upon her a steady； whimsical scrutiny as they stood at the curb； waiting
for an automobile across the street to disengage itself from the traffic。
〃That's the new car；〃 she said。 〃Everything's new。 We've got four now；
besides Jim's。 Roscoe's got two。〃
〃Edith； you look〃 he began； and paused。
〃Oh； WE're all well；〃 she said； briskly； and then； as if something in his tone
had caught her as significant； 〃Well； HOW do I look； Bibbs？〃
〃You look〃 He paused again； taking in the full length of herher trim
brown shoes； her scant； tapering； rough skirt； and her coat of brown and
green； her long green tippet and her mad little rough hat in the mad mode
all suited to the October day。
〃How do I look？〃 she insisted。
〃You look；〃 he answered； as his examination ended upon an incrusted watch of
platinum and enamel at her wrist； 〃you lookexpensive！〃 That was a
substitute for what he intended to say； for her constraint and preoccupation；
manifested particularly in her keeping her direct glance away from him； did
not seem to grant the privilege of impulsive intimacies。
〃I expect I am！〃 she laughed； and sidelong caught the direction of his glance。
〃Of course I oughtn't to wear it in the daytimeit's an evening thing； for
the theaterby my day wrist…watch is out of gear。 Bobby Lamhorn broke it
yesterday； he's a regular rowdy sometimes。 Do you want Claus to help you in？〃
〃Oh no；〃 said Bibbs。 〃I'm alive。〃 And after a fit of panting subsequent to
his climbing into the car unaided； he added； 〃Of course； I have to TELL
people！〃
〃We only got your telegram this morning；〃 she said； as they began to move
rapidly through the 〃wholesale district〃 neighboring the station。 〃Mother
said she'd hardly expected you this month。〃
〃They seemed to be through with me up there in the country；〃 he explained；
gently。 〃At least they said they were； and they wouldn't keep me any longer；
because so many really sick people wanted to get in。 They told me to go home
and I didn't have any place else to go。 It 'll be all right； Edith； I'll
sit in the woodshed until after dark every day。〃
〃Pshaw！〃 She laughed nervously。 〃Of course we're all of us glad to have you
back。〃
〃Yes？〃 he said。 〃Father？〃
〃Of course！ Didn't he write and tell you to come home？〃 She did not turn to
him with the question。 All the while she rode with her face directly forward。
〃No；〃 he said； 〃father hasn't written。〃
She flushed a little。 〃I expect I ought to 've written sometime； or one of
the boys〃
〃Oh no； that was all right。〃
〃You can't think how busy we've all been this year； Bibbs。 I often planned to
writeand then； just as I was going to； something would turn up。 And I'm
sure it's been just the same way with Jim and Roscoe。 Of course we knew mamma
was writing often and〃
〃Of course！〃 he said； readily。 〃There's a chunk of coal fallen on your glove；
Edith。 Better flick it off before it smears。 My word！ I'd almost forgotten
how sooty it is here。〃
〃We've been having very bright weather this monthfor us。〃 She blew the
flake of soot into the air； seeming relieved。
He looked up at the dingy sky； wherein hung the disconsolate sun like a cold
tin pan nailed up in a smoke…house by some lunatic； for a decoration。 〃Yes；〃
said Bibbs。 〃It's very gay。〃 A few moments later； as they passed a corner；
〃Aren't we going home？〃 he asked。
〃Why； yes！〃 Did you want to go somewhere else first？〃
〃No。 Your new driver's taking us out of the way； isn't he？〃
〃No。 This is right。 We're going straight home。〃
〃But we've passed the corner。 We always turned〃
〃Good gracious！〃 she cried。 〃Didn't you know we'd moved？ Didn't you know we
were in the New House？〃
〃Why； no！〃 said Bibbs。 〃Are you？〃
〃We've been there a month！ Good gracious！ Didn't you know〃 She broke off；
flushing again； and then went on hastily： 〃Of course； mamma's never been so
busy in her life； we ALL haven't had time to do anything but keep on the hop。
Mamma couldn't even come to the station to…day。 Papa's got some of his
business friends and people from around the OLD…house neighborhood coming
to…night for a big dinner and 'house…warming'dreadful kind of peoplebut
mamma's got it all on her hands。 She's never sat down a MINUTE； and if she
did； papa would have her up again before〃
〃Of course；〃 said Bibbs。 〃Do you like the new place； Edith？〃
〃I don't like some of the things father WOULD have in it； but it's the finest
house in town； and that ought to be good enough for me！ Papa bought one thing
I likea view of the Bay of Naples in oil that's perfectly beautiful； it's
the first thing you see as you come in the front hall； and it's eleven feet
long。 But he would have that old fruit picture we had in the Murphy Street
house hung up in the new dining…room。 You remember ita table and a
watermelon sliced open； and a lot of rouged…looking apples and some shiny
lemons； with two dead prairie…chickens on a chair？ He bought it at a
furniture…store years and years ago； and he claims it's a finer picture than
any they saw in the museums； that time he took mamma to Europe。 But it's
horribly out of date to have those things in dining…rooms； and I caught Bobby
Lamhorn giggling at it； and Sibyl made fun of it； too； with Bobby； and then
told papa she agreed with him about its being such a fine thing； and said he
did just right to insist on having it where he wanted it。 She makes me tired！
Sibyl！〃
Edith's first constraint with her brother； amounting almost to awkwardness；
vanished with this theme； though she still kept her full gaze always to the
front； even in the extreme ardor of her denunciation of her sister…in…law。
〃SIBYL！〃 she repeated； with such heat and vigor that the name seemed to strike
fire on her lips。 〃I'd like to know why Roscoe couldn't have married somebody
from HERE that would have done us some good！ He could have got in with Bobby
Lamhorn years ago just as well as now； and Bobby 'd have introduced him to the
nicest girls in town； but instead of that he had to go and pick up this Sibyl
Rink！ I met some awfully nice people from her town when mamma and I were at
Atlantic City； last spring； and not one had ever heard of the Rinks！ Not even
HEARD of 'em！〃
〃I thought you were great friends with Sibyl；〃 Bibbs said。
〃Up to the time I found her out！〃 the sister returned； with continuing
vehemence。 〃I've found out some things about Mrs。 Roscoe Sheridan lately 〃
〃It's only lately？〃
〃Well〃 Edith hesitated； her lips setting primly。 〃Of course； I always did
see that she never cared the snap of her little finger about ROSCOE！〃
〃It seems；〃 said Bibbs； in laconic protest； 〃that she married him。〃
The sister emitted a shrill cry； to be interpreted as contemptuous laughter；
and； in her emotion； spoke too impulsively： 〃Why； she'd have married YOU！〃
〃No； no；〃 he said； 〃she couldn't be that bad！〃
〃I didn't mean〃 she began； distressed。 〃I only meantI didn't mean〃
〃Never mind； Edith；〃 he consoled her。 〃You see； she couldn't have married me；
because I didn't know her； and besides； if she's as mercenary as all that
she'd have been too clever。 The head doctor even had to lend me the money for
my ticket home。〃
〃I di