de them. Mavis gave little oppressed sighs
as she fanned her jolly round face and broad matronly chest with a
copy of the _Courier_. Ethel, who to-night seemed an extraordinarily
cumbrous awkward creature, flumped the dishes down on the table and
shuffled away on her big flat feet. Norah glided to and fro, now here,
now there, pouring out milk and water for the children, and ducking
prettily when a bat came close to her white face and black hair.

"What, Norah," said Mavis, laughing, "you a country girl, and afraid
of a flitter-mouse!"

"Yes," said Billy, "she's afraid of the flitty-mouse. Isn't she a
coward? You are a coward, Norah."

And then the laugh was turned against Billy; for the bat passing again
and lower than before, Billy himself ducked and crouched
automatically.

"Who's the coward now, young sir?"

"I don't mind anything that has wings," said Rachel. "It's what goes
creeping and crawling that I'm afraid of."

"I don't mind ear-wigs," said Billy defiantly.

And Dale, while he talked without interest and ate without appetite,
watched Norah. She had changed her gown an hour ago, and obviously
when changing had discarded the burden of under-petticoats; this other
gown hung close and yet limp about her limbs, modeling itself to each
slim length and shapely curve; and he thought it made her look like
the statue of a Grecian hand-maiden-such as he had seen many years
before in illustrations of learned books. When she stood near him, he
noticed nothing but the blackness of her hair or the whiteness of her
cheeks; and then he thought she looked somehow wild and fantastic,
like a person that one can see only in dreams. But whether she was
near him or at a little distance, so long as she remained in sight, he
was unintermittently conscious that the essential charm that she shed
forth could be traced directly to her youth.

"Good night, daddy."

"Good night, Rachel."

His daughter had kissed him, and she stood between his knees while he
patted her and caressed her. She too was young and fresh and
sweet-smelling; and yet the touch of her purified one. So long as he
was holding her, it seemed to him that a father's love is so great and
so pure that there can not be any other love in the world.

But a minute afterward, when his own girl had gone and the other girl
was again before his eyes, all the impure unworthy unpermissible
desires came rushing back upon him.

They lighted lamps in the kitchen present