y entered their machine amid a shower of rice and old slippers. He
caught her close to him and held her, silent. After a while he felt a
sob shake her.

"Why, dearest, crying!"

"Oh, David, be good to me! I'm afraid. A girl gives so much. Be good
to me always!"

He drew her closer, if that were possible.

"Of course, Shirley--always. You mustn't be frightened. It's the storm.
In the morning the sun will be shining and things will seem different."

And sure enough, in the morning the sun was shining and things seemed
different.

CHAPTER II

THE WITCH

The perils and pitfalls appeared. But they were not seen for what they
were. As a guide David left something to be desired.

Very carefully the lovers had planned the disbursement of their income:
so much for rent, so much for the household and "extras," so much for
David's down-town expenses. A limited amount was set for the
furnishing of their home-to-be. With many declarations that love made
up for all lacks and with many tiltings of Shirley's pretty chin, they
had vowed to adhere rigidly to this budget.

But the choice of the abode of so much love and happiness had been put
off until after the brief honeymoon, that Shirley might share the fun
of house-hunting. They thought it would be fun.

It was not.

That week, as they inspected an indefinite number of apartments of as
many degrees of shabbiness and general undesirableness, Shirley's
spirits and chin fell steadily. David's heart, seeing, fell with them.

"Discouraged?" he asked at the end of the last day's hunt.

She nodded wearily. "Landlords are pigs. They want so much for so
little. Are you sure there's nothing else we can look at?"

"I'm afraid not. I've gone through the lists thoroughly."

"I wouldn't mind being _shabby_, if it weren't for the neighborhoods."

She was tired. Her lip quivered. His heart misgave him. He tried to
be gay.

"Oh, let's forget it for a while. Let's go out to the club and play
nine holes and then have a little twosome at dinner out there."

They went. Low spirits rose on the scented May breeze. The dinner was
a success. Afterward they met friends, who were regaled with a
humorous account of the week's adventures.

The friends, of course, made suggestions. One in particular knew "the
very thing you want, and really absurdly cheap." She was enthusiastic
in description. Then the rental was named--fifteen dollars a month
more than t