ne and one for all. A wave of homesickness swept over Rosie. She wanted
to be off without the loss of another moment. Her hands reached out
eagerly for the many tasks, the dear, the wearying tasks that were
awaiting them.

"Well, Janet, I'm sorry, but I think I must go. You know Geraldine has
to have her bath and I've got to go marketing. If you hurry, though,
I'll help with the dishes first."

"No," Janet said. "You run along if you have to. I can do the dishes
alone."

Rosie paused a moment longer. "You know if you want to you can come and
have dinner with us, Janet."

Janet shook her head. "Thanks, but I won't have time. I've got to go to
all of mother's customers and tell them she's sick, and I go to the
hospital early in the afternoon."

"Then when will I see you?"

"I don't know unless you come and sleep with me again tonight."

"I don't see how I can, Janet." At that moment the thought of spending
another night away from her beloved family was more than Rosie could
bear. "You know, Janet, I've got so many things to do at home.
Geraldine needs me all the time and so does ma and----"

"Yes, yes, Rosie, I understand. And I don't blame you one bit for liking
it better at home."

"I didn't mean that at all!" Rosie declared; "honest I didn't!"

"That's all right," Janet assured her. "I like it better over at your
house myself. It was good of you coming last night. I was kind o' scared
last night and I didn't want to be alone with him."

Rosie was concerned. "You won't be scared tonight, will you?"

"Do you mean of him?"

Rosie nodded.

"No. And what's more, Rosie, I don't believe I'll ever again be scared
of him. He's not going to bother me any more. Couldn't you see that this
morning?... Funny thing, Rosie: I used to think if only I wasn't afraid
of him I'd be perfectly happy and now, when I'm not afraid of him any
longer and when he'll probably never touch me again, I don't seem to
care much."

Rosie shook her head emphatically. "Well, I tell you one thing, Janet
McFadden: I care. I couldn't go to sleep tonight if I thought you were
here alone getting beaten up."

Janet looked at her friend affectionately. "You needn't worry about me.
I'll be all right. Good-bye, Rosie dear, and thanks."

"Good-bye, Janet, and come when you can."

From the speed with which Rosie hurried home, it would never have been
guessed that she was merely returning to a round of endless duties and
petty worries. Her eyes