“He has no consideration for you or any one else,” Hugh Barton growled. He had returned late from work at his office, to take Helen home. “If he can’t do better than this, we’ll find a house of our own. I’m not going to have you get down sick on account of him.”
“Forget about it,” Helen said. “He’s getting old.”
They came out on the veranda.
“Come down to-morrow, honey,” she said to Eugene. “I’ll give you a real feed. Laura, you come too. It’s not always like this, you know.” She laughed, fondling the girl with a big hand.
They coasted away downhill.
“What a lovely girl your sister is,” said Laura James. “Aren’t you simply crazy about her?”
Eugene made no answer for a moment.
“Yes,” he said.
“She is about you. Any one can see that,” said Laura.
In the darkness he caught at his throat.
“Yes,” he said.
The moon quartered gently across heaven. Eliza came out again, timidly, hesitantly.
“Who’s there? Who’s there?” she spoke into the darkness. “Where’s’Gene? Oh! I didn’t know! Are you there, son?” She knew very well.
“Yes,” he said.
“Why don’t you sit down, Mrs. Gant?” asked Laura. “I don’t see how you stand that hot kitchen all day long. You must be worn out.”
“I tell you what!” said Eliza, peering dimly at the sky. “It’s a fine night, isn’t it? As the fellow says, a night for lovers.” She laughed uncertainly, then stood for a moment in thought.
“Son,” she said in a troubled voice, “why don’t you go to bed and get some sleep? It’s not good for you staying up till all hours like this.”
“That’s where I should be,” said Laura James, rising.
“Yes, child,” said Eliza. “Go get your beauty sleep. As the saying goes, early to bed and early to rise—”
“Let’s all go, then. Let’s all go!” said Eugene impatiently and
