Just hope。 She looked strangely shrunken and old； suddenly。 But when；
three days later； the news came that America was to go into the war she
had her answer。
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Flora was beside herself。 〃Eugene won't have to go。 He isn't old
enough； thank God！ And by the time he is it will be over。 Surely。〃
She was almost hysterical。
Eugene was in the room。 Aunt Sophy looked at him and he looked at
Aunt Sophy。 In her eyes was a question。 In his was the answer。 They
said nothing。 The next day Eugene enlisted。 In three days he was gone。
Flora took to her bed。 Next day Adele； a faint； unwonted color marking
her cheeks； walked into her mother's bedroom and stood at the side of the
recumbent figure。 Her father； his hands clasped behind him； was pacing
up and down； now and then kicking a cushion that had fallen to the floor。
He was chewing a dead cigar； one side of his face twisted curiously over
the cylinder in his mouth so that he had a sinister and crafty look。
〃Charnsworth； won't you please stop ramping up and down like that！
My nerves are killing me。 I can't help it if the war has done something or
other to your business。 I'm sure no wife could have been more
economical than I have。 Nothing matters but Eugene； anyway。 How
could he do such a thing！ I've given my whole life to my children〃
H。 Charnsworth kicked the cushion again so that it struck the wall at
the opposite side of the room。 Flora drew her breath in between her teeth
as though a knife had entered her heart。
Adele still stood at the side of the bed； looking at her mother。 Her
hands were clasped behind her； too。 In that moment； as she stood there；
she resembled her mother and her father so startlingly and simultaneously
that the two； had they been less absorbed in their own affairs； must have
marked it。
The girl's head came up stiffly。 〃Listen。 I'm going to marry Daniel
Oakley。〃
Daniel Oakley was fifty； and a friend of her father's。 For years he had
been coming to the house and for years she had ridiculed him。 She and
Eugene had called him Sturdy Oak because he was always talking about
his strength and endurance； his walks； his rugged health； pounding his
chest meanwhile and planting his feet far apart。 He and Baldwin had had
business relations as well as friendly ones。
At this announcement Flora screamed and sat up in bed。 H。
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Charnsworth stopped short in his pacing and regarded his daughter with a
queer look； a concentrated look； as though what she had said had set in
motion a whole mass of mental machinery within his brain。
〃When did he ask you？〃
〃He's asked me a dozen times。 But it's different now。 All the men
will be going to war。 There won't be any left。 Look at England and
France。 I'm not going to be left。〃 She turned squarely toward her father；
her young face set and hard。 〃You know what I mean。 You know what
I mean。〃
Flora； sitting up in bed； was sobbing。 〃I think you might have told
your mother； Adele。 What are children coming to！ You stand there and
say； ‘I'm going to marry Daniel Oakley。' Oh； I am so faint 。 。 。 all of a
sudden 。 。 。 Get the spirits of ammonia。〃
Adele turned and walked out of the room。 She was married six
weeks later。 They had a regular prewar weddingveil； flowers； dinner；
and all。 Aunt Sophy arranged the folds of her gown and draped her veil。
The girl stood looking at herself in the mirror； a curious half smile twisting
her lips。 She seemed slighter and darker than ever。
〃In all this white； and my veil； I look just like a fly in a quart of milk；〃
she said； with a laugh。 Then； suddenly； she turned to her aunt； who stood
behind her； and clung to her； holding her tight； tight。 〃I can't！〃 she
gasped。 〃I can't！ I can't！〃
Aunt Sophy held her off and looked at her； her eyes searching the girl。
〃What do you mean； Della？ Are you just nervous or do you mean
you don't want to marry him？ Do you mean that？ Then what are you
marrying for？ Tell me！ Tell your Aunt Sophy。〃
But Adele was straightening herself and pulling out the crushed folds
of her veil。 〃To pay the mortgage on the old homestead； of course。 Just
like the girl in the play。〃 She laughed a little。 But Aunt Sophy did not。
〃Now look here； Della。 If you're〃
But there was a knock at the door。 Adele caught up her flowers。
〃It's all right；〃 she said。 Aunt Sophy stood with her back against the door。
〃If it's money；〃 she said。 〃It is！ It is； isn't it！ I've got money saved。
It was for you children。 I've always been afraid。 I knew he was sailing
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pretty close； with his speculations and all； since the war。 He can have it
all。 It isn't too late yet。 Adele！ Della； my baby。〃
〃Don't； Aunt Sophy。 It wouldn't be enough； anyway。 Daniel has
been wonderful； really。 Dad's been stealing money for years。 Dan's。
Don't look like that。 I'd have hated being poor； anyway。
Never could have got used to it。 It is ridiculous； though； isn't it？
Like something in the movies。 I don't mind。 I'm lucky； really； when
you come to think of it。 A plain little black thing like me。〃
〃But your mother〃
〃Mother doesn't know a thing。〃
Flora wept mistily all through the ceremony； but Adele was composed
enough for two。
When； scarcely a month later； Baldwin came to Sophy Decker； his face
drawn and queer； Sophy knew。
〃How much？〃 she said。
〃Thirty thousand will cover it。 If you've got more than that〃
〃I thought OakleyAdele said〃
〃He did； but he won't any more； and this thing's got to be met。 It's
this damned war that's done it。 I'd have been all right。 People got
scared。 They wanted their money。 They wanted it in cash。〃
〃Speculating with it； were you？〃
〃Oh； well； a woman doesn't understand these business deals。〃
〃No； naturally；〃 said Aunt Sophy； 〃a butterfly like me。〃
〃Sophy； for God's sake don't joke now。 I tell you this will cover it；
and everything will be all right。 If I had anybody else to go to for the
money I wouldn't ask you。 But you'll get it back。 You know that。〃
Aunt Sophy got up； heavily； and went over to her desk。 〃It was for
the children； anyway。 They won't need it now。〃
He looked up at that。 Something in her voice。 〃Who won't？ Why
won't they？〃
〃I don't know what made me say that。 I had a dream。〃
〃Eugene？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Oh； well； we're all nervous。 Flora has dreams every night and
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presentiments every fifteen minutes。 Now； look here； Sophy。 About
this money。 You'll never know how grateful I am。 Flora doesn't
understand these things； but I can talk to you。 It's like this〃
〃I might as well be honest about it；〃 Sophy interrupted。 〃I'm doing it；
not for you； but for Flora； and Dellaand Eugene。 Flora has lived such a
sheltered life。 I sometimes wonder if she ever really knew any of you。
Her husband； or her children。 I sometimes have the feeling that Della
and Eugene are my childrenwere my children。〃
When he came home that night Baldwin told his wife that old Soph
was getting queer。 〃She talks about the children being hers；〃 he said。
〃Oh； well； she's awfully fond of them；〃 Flora explained。 〃And she's
lived her little； narrow life； with nothing to bother her but her hats and her
house。 She doesn't know what it means to suffer as a mother suffers
poor Sophy。〃
〃Um；〃 Baldwin grunted。
When the official notification of Eugene's death came from the War
Department； Aunt Sophy was so calm it might have appeared that Flora
had been right。 She took to her bed now in earnest； did Flora。 Sophy
neglected everything to give comfort to the stricken two。
〃How can you sit there like that！〃 Flora would rail。 〃How can you
sit there like that！ Even if you weren't his mother； surely you must feel
something。〃
〃It's the way he died that comforts me；〃 said Aunt Sophy。
〃What difference does that make！〃
AMERICAN RED CROSS （Croix Rouge Americaine）
MY DEAR MRS。 BALDWIN： I am sure you must have been
officially notified by the U。S。 War Dept。 of the death of your son； Lieut。
Eugene H。 Baldwin。 But I want to write
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