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relevant about her break…down； yet all else was forgotten at sight
of her tears。
She smiled forgiveness through her wet eyes； and though he knew of
nothing for which to be forgiven； he melted utterly。 His hand went
out impulsively to hers； but she avoided the clasp by a sort of
bodily stiffening and chill； the while the eyes smiled still more
gloriously。
〃Here comes Mr。 Clausen；〃 she said； at the same time； by some
transforming alchemy of woman； presenting to the newcomer eyes that
showed no hint of moistness。
〃Think I was never coming back； Joe？〃 queried the head of the
department； a pink…and…white…faced man； whose austere side…whiskers
were belied by genial little eyes。
〃Now let me seehum； yes； we was discussing ingrains；〃 he continued
briskly。 〃That tasty little pattern there catches your eye； don't
it now； eh？ Yes； yes； I know all about it。 I set up housekeeping
when I was getting fourteen a week。 But nothing's too good for the
little nest； eh？ Of course I know； and it's only seven cents more；
and the dearest is the cheapest； I say。 Tell you what I'll do；
Joe；〃this with a burst of philanthropic impulsiveness and a
confidential lowering of voice；〃seein's it's you； and I wouldn't
do it for anybody else； I'll reduce it to five cents。 Only；〃here
his voice became impressively solemn；〃only you mustn't ever tell
how much you really did pay。〃
〃Sewed； lined； and laidof course that's included；〃 he said； after
Joe and Genevieve had conferred together and announced their
decision。
〃And the little nest； eh？〃 he queried。 〃When do you spread your
wings and fly away？ To…morrow！ So soon？ Beautiful！ Beautiful！〃
He rolled his eyes ecstatically for a moment； then beamed upon them
with a fatherly air。
Joe had replied sturdily enough； and Genevieve had blushed prettily；
but both felt that it was not exactly proper。 Not alone because of
the privacy and holiness of the subject； but because of what might
have been prudery in the middle class； but which in them was the
modesty and reticence found in individuals of the working class when
they strive after clean living and morality。
Mr。 Clausen accompanied them to the elevator； all smiles； patronage；
and beneficence； while the clerks turned their heads to follow Joe's
retreating figure。
〃And to…night； Joe？〃 Mr。 Clausen asked anxiously； as they waited at
the shaft。 〃How do you feel？ Think you'll do him？〃
〃Sure；〃 Joe answered。 〃Never felt better in my life。〃
〃You feel all right； eh？ Good！ Good！ You see； I was just a…
wonderin'you know； ha！ ha！goin' to get married and the rest
thought you might be unstrung； eh； a trifle？nerves just a bit off；
you know。 Know how gettin' married is myself。 But you're all
right； eh？ Of course you are。 No use asking YOU that。 Ha！ ha！
Well； good luck； my boy！ I know you'll win。 Never had the least
doubt； of course； of course。〃
〃And good…by； Miss Pritchard；〃 he said to Genevieve； gallantly
handing her into the elevator。 〃Hope you call often。 Will be
charmedcharmedI assure you。〃
〃Everybody calls you 'Joe'；〃 she said reproachfully； as the car
dropped downward。 〃Why don't they call you 'Mr。 Fleming'？ That's
no more than proper。〃
But he was staring moodily at the elevator boy and did not seem to
hear。
〃What's the matter； Joe？〃 she asked； with a tenderness the power of
which to thrill him she knew full well。
〃Oh； nothing；〃 he said。 〃I was only thinkingand wishing。〃
〃Wishing？what？〃 Her voice was seduction itself； and her eyes
would have melted stronger than he； though they failed in calling
his up to them。
Then； deliberately； his eyes lifted to hers。 〃I was wishing you
could see me fight just once。〃
She made a gesture of disgust； and his face fell。 It came to her
sharply that the rival had thrust between and was bearing him away。
〃II'd like to；〃 she said hastily with an effort； striving after
that sympathy which weakens the strongest men and draws their heads
to women's breasts。
〃Will you？〃
Again his eyes lifted and looked into hers。 He meant itshe knew
that。 It seemed a challenge to the greatness of her love。
〃It would be the proudest moment of my life；〃 he said simply。
It may have been the apprehensiveness of love； the wish to meet his
need for her sympathy； and the desire to see the Game face to face
for wisdom's sake；and it may have been the clarion call of
adventure ringing through the narrow confines of uneventful
existence； for a great daring thrilled through her； and she said；
just as simply； 〃I will。〃
〃I didn't think you would； or I wouldn't have asked；〃 he confessed；
as they walked out to the sidewalk。
〃But can't it be done？〃 she asked anxiously； before her resolution
could cool。
〃Oh； I can fix that； but I didn't think you would。〃
〃I didn't think you would；〃 he repeated； still amazed； as he helped
her upon the electric car and felt in his pocket for the fare。
CHAPTER II
Genevieve and Joe were working…class aristocrats。 In an environment
made up largely of sordidness and wretchedness they had kept
themselves unsullied and wholesome。 Theirs was a self…respect； a
regard for the niceties and clean things of life； which had held
them aloof from their kind。 Friends did not come to them easily；
nor had either ever possessed a really intimate friend； a heart…
companion with whom to chum and have things in common。 The social
instinct was strong in them； yet they had remained lonely because
they could not satisfy that instinct and at that same time satisfy
their desire for cleanness and decency。
If ever a girl of the working class had led the sheltered life； it
was Genevieve。 In the midst of roughness and brutality； she had
shunned all that was rough and brutal。 She saw but what she chose
to see； and she chose always to see the best； avoiding coarseness
and uncouthness without effort； as a matter of instinct。 To begin
with； she had been peculiarly unexposed。 An only child； with an
invalid mother upon whom she attended； she had not joined in the
street games and frolics of the children of the neighbourhood。 Her
father； a mild…tempered； narrow…chested； anaemic little clerk；
domestic because of his inherent disability to mix with men； had
done his full share toward giving the home an atmosphere of
sweetness and tenderness。
An orphan at twelve； Genevieve had gone straight from her father's
funeral to live with the Silversteins in their rooms above the candy
store； and here； sheltered by kindly aliens； she earned her keep and
clothes by waiting on the shop。 Being Gentile； she was especially
necessary to the Silversteins； who would not run the business
themselves when the day of their Sabbath came round。
And here； in the uneventful little shop； six maturing years had
slipped by。 Her acquaintances were few。 She had elected to have no
girl chum for the reason that no satisfactory girl had appeared。
Nor did she choose to walk with the young fellows of the
neighbourhood； as was the custom of girls from their fifteenth year。
〃That stuck…up doll…face；〃 was the way the girls of the
neighbourhood described her； and though she earned their enmity by
her beauty and aloofness； she none the less commanded their respect。
〃Peaches and cream；〃 she was called by the young menthough softly
and amongst themselves； for they were afraid of arousing the ire of
the other girls； while they stood in awe of Genevieve； in a dimly
religious way； as a something mysteriously beautiful and
unapproachable。
For she was indeed beautiful。 Springing from a long line of
American descent； she was one of those wonderful working…class
blooms which occasionally appear； defying all precedent of forebears
and environment； apparently without cause or explanation。 She was a
beauty in color； the blood spraying her white skin so deliciously as
to earn for her the apt description； 〃peaches and cream。〃 She was a
beauty in the regularity of her features； and； if for no other
reason； she was a beauty in the mere delicacy of the lines on which
she was moulded。 Quiet； low…voiced； stately； and dignified； she
somehow had the knack of dress； and but befitted her beauty and
dignity with anything she put on。 Withal； she was sheerly feminine；
tender and soft and clinging； with the smouldering passion of the
mate and the motherliness of the woman。 But this side of her nature
had lain dormant through the years； waiting for the mate to appear。
Then Joe came into Silverstein's shop one hot Saturday afternoon to
cool himself with ice…cream soda。 She had not noticed his entrance；
being busy with one other customer； an urchin of six or seven who
gravely analyzed his desires before the show…case wherein truly
generous and marvellous candy creations reposed under a cardboard
announcement； 〃Five for Five Cents。〃