Greeting his sister-in-law amiably he called out: "Hallo, Virgie, we're in here!"

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:

"h.e.l.lo, f.a.n.n.y! 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, f.a.n.n.y 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 f.a.n.n.y 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 f.a.n.n.y 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 f.a.n.n.y, 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?"