Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1922-11-16
The Plows were at breakfast next


morning when Lulu came I'm casually
at the side door. Yes. she said. she
had had breakfast. She merely want
ed TO see them about something. Then
she said nothing. but sat looking with
troabled frown at Jenny. Jenny's
hair was about her neck, like the
hair of n little girl. a south window
poured light upon her. the fruit and
honey upon the table seemed her only
possible food.
you look troubled, Lulu" Mrs.
Plow said. us II about getting work"
NO" said Lulu. mo. I've been
places. guess the bakery is going
10 let me make cake"
~ knew il would come to you." Mrs.
Plow said. and Lulu thought that this
was strange way TO speak, when she
herself had gone after the cakes. But
she kept on looking about the room.
II was so bright and quiet. AS she
came in. Mr.. Plow had been reading
from book. Dwight never read
from book at table
81 wish" said Lulu, ms she looked
at them But she did not know what
she wished. Certainly il was for no
moral excellence. for she perceived
none.
"What Is 1t. Lulu?" Mr.. Plow asked.
and he was bright and quiet too, Lulu
thought.
"Well," said Lulu, 'it's not much.
but ! wanted Jenny to tell me about
last night"
Last night?"
Eyes. Would you" Hesitation
was her only way Of apology where
did you go?" She turned 10 Jenny.
Jenny looked up in her clear and
ardent fashion: 1--WE went across the
river and carried supper and then we
came home"
What time did you get homer
"Oh 1t was still light. Long before
eight, 1t was"
Lulu hesitated and flushed, asked
how long Di and Bobby had stayed
there NJ Jenny's; whereupon she
account of Mr.. Cornish so that she
and Bobby had not stayed at all To
which Lulu said an "of course" but
first she stared ut Jenny and so i'm
paired the strength of her assent. AL
most at once she rose TO go.
Nothing else?' said Mrs. Plow,
catching that look of hers.
Lulu wanted to say: my husband
was married before, just as he said ne
was" But she said nothing more. and
went home. There she put il to hi
and. with her terrible bluntness, re-
viewed 10 Di the testimony.
You were not with Jenny after
eight o'clock. Where were your"
Lulu spoke formally and her rehears-
ais were evident.
Di said: when mamma comes
home, I'll tell her"
With this Lulu had no idea how 70
deal. and merely looked at her help
lessly. Mrs. Bett, who was lacing her
shoes, now said casually:
"No need to wait till then. Her and
Bobby were out in the side yard sit
ting in the hammock till all hours"
hi had no answer save her furious
flush. and Mrs. Bett went on:
Didn't | tell you? l knew it before
the company left, but l didn't say n
word. Thinks I, she wiggles and
chitters.' SO l left her stay where
she was"
But mother" Lulu cried. "You
didn't even tell me after he'd gone"
II forgot it," Mrs. Bett said, find
ing Ninian's letter and all" She
talked of Ninian's letter
Di was bright and alert and firm Of
flesh and erect before Lulu's softness
and laxness.
II don't know what your mother'll
say said Lulu, land l don't know
what peoplell think"
'They won't think Bobby and are
tired of each other. anyway said Di,
and left the room.
Through the day Lulu tried to think
what she must do About Di she was
anxious and felt without power. She
thought of the indignation Of Dwight
and Ina that Di had not been more
scrupulously guarded She thought of
DIS girlish folly, her irritating indie
pendence--"and there" Lulu thought.
lust the other day l was teaching
her to sew" Her mind dwelt too on
Dwlght's furious anger at the opening
of Ninian's letter. But when all this
had spent itself, what was she herself
TO do? she must leave his house be
fore he ordered her TO do SO, when
she told him that she had confided in
Cornish, as tell she must. But what
was she TO do? The bakery cake.
making would not give her a roof.
Stepping about the kitchen in her
blue cotton gown, her hair tight and
| flat as seemed proper when one was
not dressed, she thought about these
things. And it was strange: Lulu bore
no physical appearance of one in dis
tress or any anxiety. Her head was
erect, her movements were strong and
swift, her eyes were interested. She
was no dropping Lulu with dragging
step. She was more intent she was
somehow more operative than she had
ever been.