ng-room. George had been very ill, and moved
ponderously and slowly. He looked far older than Julia's memory of him.
There were sagging red pockets under his eyes, and his heavy jowls were
darkened with a day's growth of gray stubble. He and Emeline had had a
complete reconciliation, and entertained Mrs. Tarbury with the history
of their remarriage and an outline of their plans.

George took a heavy, sportive interest in his pretty girl, but Julia
could not realize their relationship sufficiently to permit of any
liberties. She smiled an uneasy, perfunctory smile when George kissed
her, and moved away from the arm he would have kept about her.

"Don't liked to be kissed?" asked George.

"Oh, I don't mind," said Julia, in a lifeless voice, and with averted
eyes. "Did you go to the flat, Mama?" she asked, clearing her throat.

"I did," Emeline answered, biting a loose thread from a finger of her
dirty white gloves. "I got Toomey's rent, and told them that we might
want the room on the first."

"Going to give up the flat?" Julia asked, in surprise.

"Well"--Emeline glanced at her husband--"it's this way, Ju," said she:
"Papa can't stand the city, sick as he is now--"

George coughed loosely in confirmation of this, and shook his head.

"And Papa's got a half interest in a little fruit ranch down in Santa
Clara Valley," Emeline pursued. "So I'm going to take him down there for
a little while, and nurse him back to real good health."

"My God, Em, you'll die!" Mrs. Tarbury said frankly. "Why'n't you go
somewhere where there's something doing?"

"My sporting days are over, Min," George said with mournful
satisfaction. "No more midnight suppers in mine!"

"Nor mine, either. I guess I'm old enough to settle down," Emeline added
cheerfully. She and Mrs. Tarbury exchanged a look, and Julia knew
exactly what concessions her mother had made before the reconciliation;
knew just how sincere this unworldly wifely devotion was.

"Doc says I am to have fresh air, and light, nourishing foods, and quiet
nights," George explained, gravely important.

"And what about Julie?" asked Mrs. Tarbury.

"Well, we thought we'd leave Julie here, Min," Emeline began
comfortably, "until we see if it works. Then in, say, a month--"

"Mama, you can't!" Julia interrupted, cheeks hot with shame. "Aunt Min's
got to rent that room--"

"You see how it is, Em," the lady of the house explained regretfully:
"Connie's gone off on the road now, a