_ CHAPTER XXI
Virginia came in tired and worn-looking. Her clothes were soaked through from the storm and in her hand she carried a dripping umbrella. She smiled wearily as she greeted the others:
"Hello, Fanny! How's this for weather?" Holding out her umbrella to her brother-in-law she said: "Here, Jim, please take this."
While he went to put the gingham in the bathtub, Fanny helped to make the newcomer comfortable. With concern, she exclaimed:
"Poor darling--you're wet through. You'd better change everything."
Virginia threw off her raincoat and dropped, exhausted, into a seat.
"I'm too tired to do anything but sit down," she exclaimed wearily.
"Was it a hard day?" inquired her sister as she brought a pair of comfortable slippers to be exchanged for the wet shoes.
"Very," replied Virginia with a sigh of relief. "There are some days when everything goes wrong. This was one of them. People were cranky and exacting--there was a terrific rush. I scarcely had time to lunch and tonight the cars were so crowded that I had to stand all the way."
Jimmie, re-entering from the bedroom, caught the last few words. Anxious in furtherance of his plans to improve every opportunity of ingratiating himself in his sister-in-law's good graces he exclaimed apologetically:
"That's tough! Was the same fellow on the car?"
She nodded, while Fanny went to see how things were getting on in the kitchen.
"Yes," she said listlessly.
"And going downtown?"
"Yes."
"Did he speak to you?"
"Of course not!" she exclaimed indignantly.
"Well, if he does or if he gets fresh at all," said her brother-in-law with a fierce gesture, "you tell me and I'll punch his head!"
"He won't," she smiled.
"He'd better not."
At that moment Fanny re-entered from the kitchen. Cheerfully she exclaimed:
"Dinner's all ready to put on, but I'll get you a cup of tea first!" Pointing to the wet rubbers, she made a significant gesture to her husband. "Jimmie!"
Docilely he picked up the rubbers and proceeded as before in the direction of the bathroom. Virginia looked at her sister gratefully.
"You're very good to me."
"Don't be silly!" exclaimed Fanny, as she busied Herself setting the table.
Virginia smiled.
"You're the best sister in the world!" she murmured.
"No, I'm not, you are!" Cheerily, as her husband reappeared, she added:
"Now you sit still and talk to Jim while I get the tea ready."
She went out and the clerk carelessly took a chair. This was his opportunity. He could hardly hope for a better one. After a brief pause he said sympathetically:
"You're not looking well, Virginia. These last three months have told on you."
The young woman nodded. With a weary sigh she replied:
"Yes--I know it."
Thus encouraged, he continued:
"I guess you don't like it any better than we do."
"Like it!" she exclaimed. "Like working under tremendous pressure from morning till night in a public hotel corridor at the beck and call of the first comer, exposed to all kinds of insult and indignity? Like to have two dollars a week pocket money out of which I must pay my carfare and buy whatever I need? Like to come home every night so tired I can scarcely walk and with my head aching till I can hardly see? Like it! Like it, indeed!"
Quietly he replied:
"Then why don't you quit It? Why don't you go back to your husband?"
Virginia started. In spite of herself, her face changed color. Abruptly she said:
"I've asked you not to--"
"I know you have, but tonight I'm going to talk sense to you if I never do it again."
She held out a hand in protest.
"Jimmie--I--"
"Yes, I am," he interrupted. "I hate to see you going on like this. You've been away from Stafford for less than three months and, on the level, you look five years older. Why don't you go back to him?"
"I've told you why--it's a matter of principle. You wouldn't have me give up my principles, would you?"
He shrugged his shoulders as he replied dryly:
"I don't know about yours, but I can tell you this about mine--if hanging on to 'em meant hard work, tired bones and an empty pocket while giving 'em up meant a fine house, a bully time and all the money I could spend, then I'd kiss my principles good-bye and pass 'em up without a quiver! That's common sense."
She turned her head away.
"We don't see things the same way," she said quietly.
He rose from the chair and began to pace the floor in silence. Then, turning on her suddenly he said:
"I never understood why you quit him anyway. Tell me, did he punch you?"
"Certainly not!" she exclaimed indignantly.
"Was he mixed up with another woman?"
"Another woman! Robert? The idea!!"
"Well, if it wasn't one of them, in heaven's name what was it?"
"You wouldn't understand," she replied simply.
He stopped short in front of her and folded his arms. With as severe an air as he could muster he said sternly:
"Perhaps not, but here's something I can understand. Why did I quit my job? Because of you. Who has brought us down to this? You! Who makes Fanny work harder than any hired girl in the city? You! Who has ruined my career? You! You and your selfishness!"
Taken aback by the suddenness of his denunciation, Virginia stared at him in surprise, as if not comprehending.
"My selfishness?" she stammered.
"Just that!" he sneered. With pretended indignation he went on: "And the things you were going to do for little Virgie! She was going to have a governess; she was going to learn music and painting when she grew up; she was going to have a horse. A horse! Ha! ha! The only horse she'll ever have will be a clothes-horse!!"
Hurt in her most sensitive nature, Virginia listened to his words, each one of which fell on her with the weight of a blow.
"Please, Jimmie, please!" she cried.
But he had no pity; he was ready to inflict any suffering so long as it did not hurt himself and it accomplished his object.
"Yes," he went on, "and she'll have to do the same as Fanny does, break her back washing the things to put over it! And why? Because you think more of your 'principles' than you do of your relations. Because you think only of yourself. Because you're selfish. That's why!"
Almost in tears, Virginia put out her hand, pleading to him to desist.
"Stop, please!" she cried. "Don't you see how nervous and tired I am?"
At that instant Fanny re-entered with the tea things, in time to hear her sister's cry of distress. Turning indignantly to her husband, she said:
"You behave yourself! What have you been saying to her, anyway?"
He shrugged his shoulders as he replied carelessly:
"I've been telling her things for her own good." Almost viciously he added: "And I'm going to keep on telling her."
Virginia rose, her face flushed. With some spirit she cried:
"No--you're not!"
"Who's going to stop me?" he demanded.
"I am," she said firmly. "I'm doing what I think is right and you're not going to bully me into doing what I think is wrong. If you ever mention my going back to my husband again, I'll--I'll--"
"I suppose you'll leave us as well?" he said sarcastically.
Fanny, meantime, was making frantic signs to her husband to desist. Angrily she exclaimed:
"Jimmie--will you stop?"
She was about to put her hand over her husband's mouth to silence him when Virginia interfered. In a resigned tone, she said weakly:
"Let him talk. No, I couldn't leave you. I've got to have some one to love. And you know I love you, don't you?"
"I should say so," exclaimed Fanny, embracing her.
Taking her sister's hand Virginia turned towards her brother-in-law. The look of anger and defiance had died out of her face. In its place was a peaceful expression of patient resignation. Gently she said:
"And I love the baby--dearly! Yes, and you as well, Jimmie! Oh, you don't know how hard this has been for me! You see, I've not only had my own sorrows and troubles--and they've been quite enough for any woman--"
Fanny tenderly embraced her sister. Placing a cup of tea in front of her she said soothingly:
"Never mind, dearie--everything will come out all right."
Virginia shook her head. Mournfully she said:
"But I've had yours as well--to know Jimmie lost his position because of me. To have you come down in the world like this--because of me; to know Jimmie is just where he started! To see you--breaking your back--at the washing--"
Standing over her, Fanny stroked her hair, trying to reassure her. Cheerily she said:
"Don't you worry about me. I'm all right."
"It's been dreadfully hard," went on Virginia tearfully. "At times I've felt that I just couldn't bear it--that I should--have--to go back, because, after all, I'm only human! And I may have to go back yet--I may--" She stopped abruptly and threw back her head. With spirit she exclaimed: "No, I won't go back. I won't!" Then, her tone changing again, she said pleadingly: "But please don't talk about it any more. I'm so tired!"
She sank listlessly into a chair at the table. Jimmie, judging the moment favorable to renew the attack, opened his mouth as if to speak, but before he could utter a word Fanny silenced him.
"Oh, shut up!" she exclaimed, more forcibly than elegantly.
"I didn't say anything," he protested.
"No, but you were going to!" she retorted. Turning to Virginia and pushing the tea-cup before her, she said coaxingly:
"Take your tea, dear, before it gets cold."
Jimmie was repulsed, but not beaten. The prize was too important to permit of his accepting defeat so easily. Rising from his seat, he said in a more conciliatory tone:
"I was only going to say--suppose he was to send for her--or come for her?"
Virginia looked up with an expression of mingled surprise and alarm. Almost anxiously she exclaimed:
"Robert--come for me! There isn't the slightest chance in the world."
The clerk grinned knowingly. With the self-important air of a man who enjoys the confidence of others, he said significantly:
"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you."
"Why what do you know about it?" demanded Fanny in pretended surprise.
"He's crazy in love with her--that's what I know," he said.
Virginia shook her head despondently.
"Not enough to come for me," she said. "He said he would never do it--and he never will. That's the kind of man he is."
"Per--perhaps" suggested Fanny, "just perhaps--he might."
"No," murmured Virginia, "you don't know him as well as I. Once he makes up his mind, no one can induce him to change it."
"But if he should," persisted Jimmie craftily, taking a seat near her and adopting a cordial, sympathetic tone.
"He won't," replied Virginia sadly. "We'll have to go along just as we are! And we might be much worse off, don't forget that. Even as it is, we're getting twenty dollars a week between us. I'm getting seven and Jimmie's getting thirteen--"
"I
was getting thirteen," interrupted Jimmie ruefully.
Virginia looked at him.
"They've raised you?" she asked quickly.
"No. They've fired me."
"Discharged?"
"Yes."
"Do you mean to say you have lost your job?"
"Of course I have. How could you expect me to keep it? Do you think I could work under a man getting thirty dollars a week--me, who used to get a hundred and fifty?"
"Fired!" echoed Fanny, turning pale. "Why--what's the matter?"
Jimmie assumed an injured air. With nonchalance he explained:
"Oh, I could see that lots of things were wrong with the system. When I went to give the manager of the department the benefit of my advice and wide experience, instead of taking it and being thankful for it, he fired me--fired me cold. The bonehead!"
Virginia stared at him in dismay.
"But what are we going to do now?" she cried.
Fanny had collapsed on to a chair, the picture of utter discouragement. Weakly she repeated after her sister:
"Yes, what are we going to do now?"
"Don't worry," smiled the young man confidently. "Everything's going to be all right."
"But if it shouldn't?" argued his wife.
"It will," he retorted. With a significant glance towards his sister-in-law, he added: "You know about my new idea!"
Fanny gave a snort of scornful incredulity.
"Oh, you and your ideas!"
He shrugged his shoulders contemptuously. What was the good of arguing with a bunch of women? That was just how his ideas had always been laughed at, and that was why he had never been able to do anything with them. Angrily he exclaimed:
"I know what you think about 'em. Gee, but ain't you women the comforting lot!"
With this parting shot he turned on his heel and disappeared into the kitchen. Virginia, afraid that she was the cause of this little domestic storm, said apologetically:
"I'm sorry you quarrelled. Don't blame him too much, though. Things are rather hard for him."
"For him?" echoed Fanny in surprise. "What about you?"
"Oh, I'll manage," replied her sister quietly.
"He had no right to lose that job," said Fanny angrily.
"He'll soon find another," said Virginia encouragingly. "Till he does we'll get along some way. We've shared the good times together and we'll take the hard ones the same way."
"My, but you are a thoroughbred!" exclaimed her sister admiringly. "If any girl ever deserved to be happy, you're the one."
"The same to you and many of them," laughed Virginia.
At that moment the front doorbell rang. Fanny half rose to go and open, but sat down again.
"Oh, it's only the postman. Jimmie will go."
Taking both her sister's hands in hers and bending over, Fanny embraced her sister affectionately. Soothingly she said:
"Things ought to turn for you pretty soon, dear. I hope that they will. How I hope they do!"
As she spoke the front doorbell rang again, this time more loudly. Fanny started to her feet.
"I thought Jimmie was there. He must have gone out."
"I wonder who it is?" murmured Virginia.
"I'll go and see," said Fanny. "I hope it isn't company. Our next door neighbors have been threatening to call for some time."
In no humor to be bothered by visitors, Virginia rose hastily.
"I don't want to see anyone," she said. "I'll go and lie down."
As her sister went toward the door, Virginia made a quick escape into the bedroom. _