ntimacy,
of being in her sister's place, was even deeper than before. For now
she was mothering Amy's child--her child and her husband.

CHAPTER VIII

For a time she had seen little of Joe. She had been absorbed in her new
work; and Joe, in his business troubles. But as he began to see light
ahead, again he took notice of things at home; and rather to his own
surprise he enjoyed the change that had been made. The simpler ways
appealed to him. He and Emily got on famously. And he began to notice
Susette, to come home early now and then, in time to see her take her
bath or to sit on the floor and build houses of blocks, he knew about
building houses, and he could do fascinating things which made his small
daughter stare at him in grave admiration.

"How dear he is with her," Ethel thought. Although she was barely aware
of the fact, her own new tenderness for the child had tightened the
bonds between her and its father. His blunt, affectionate kindliness
appealed to her often in a way that even brought little qualms of doubt.
She would look at Joe occasionally in a thoughtful, questioning manner.

He stayed home again in the evenings now; and while she sat at her
sewing, often he would look up from his paper or his work to make some
brief remark to her; and the conversation thus begun would somehow
ramble on and on while his work lay forgotten. But almost always,
unknown to them both, the spirit of Amy was in the room, and the
influence of her memory was shown in Joe's attitude toward his home.
For in spite of his enjoyment of the simpler regime, he revealed a
feeling of guiltiness at not being able to give to Ethel the easy lot he
hind given his wife. As business improved he began to suggest getting
back a nurse and a waitress. And it was all that Ethel could do to
dissuade him.

"His idea of being nice to a woman," she told herself impatiently, "is
to give her expensive things, and above all keep her idle." She did not
add, "Amy taught him that." But it was in the back of her mind.

He often talked of his business, he tried to explain to her the details
of speculative building, real estate values and the like. And listening
and watching his face, she felt his force and vitality, his doggedness,
the fight in him. She recalled Amy's eager faith in Joe as a man who
was "simply bound to make money." And at times she said to herself,
"What a pity." Still, it was all rather puzzling. For his talk of the
growth of th