Bob had cried when the news came from the hospital. It had been dreadful. Jane had never seen a man cry. They had been hard sobs, with broken apologies between. “I’m a fool to act like this....” Jane had tried to say things, then had sat silent and uncomfortable while Bob fought for self-control.
Miss Martin had gone home before the message arrived. Bob was told that he could not see his wife. But the surgeon would be glad to talk to him, at eight.
“And I know what he’ll say,” Bob had said to Jane drearily, “that if I can get that specialist up from Hot Springs, he may be able to diagnose the trouble. But how am I going to get the money, Janey? It will cost a thousand dollars to rush him here and pay his fee. And my income has practically stopped. With all these labor troubles—there’s no building. And Judy’s nurses cost twelve dollars a day—and her room five. Oh, poor people haven’t any right to be sick, Janey. There isn’t any place for them.”
Jane’s face was pale and looked pinched.[241] “There’s the check Baldy sent me for Christmas, fifty dollars.”
“Dear girl, it wouldn’t be a drop in the bucket.”
“I know,” thoughtfully. “Bob, do they think that if that specialist comes it will save Judy’s life?”
“It might. It—it’s the last chance, Janey.”
Janey hugged her knees. “Can’t you borrow the money?”
“I have borrowed up to the limit of my securities, and how can I ever pay?”
Her voice was grim. “We will manage to pay; the thing now is to save Judy.”
“Yes,” he tried, pitifully, to meet her courage. “If they’ll get the specialist, we’ll pay.”
She had risen. “I’ll call up Mr. Towne, and tell him I can’t dine with him.”
“But, Janey, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t keep your engagement.”
She had turned on him with a touch of indignation. “Do you think I could have one happy moment with my mind on Judy?”
Bob had looked at her, and then looked away. “Have you thought that you might get the money from Towne?”
Her startled gaze had questioned him. “Get money from Mr. Towne?”
“Yes. Oh, why not, Janey? He’ll do anything for you.”
“But how could I pay him?”
[242]There had been dead silence, then Bob said, “Well, he’s in love with you, isn’t he?”
“You mean that I can—marry him?”
“Yes. Why not? Judy says he’s crazy about you. And, Jane, it’s foolish to throw away such a chance. Not every girl has it.”
“But, Bob, I’m not—in love with him.”
“You’ll learn to care—— He’s a delightful chap, I’d say.” Bob was eager. “Now look here, Janey, I’m talking to you like a Dutch uncle. It isn’t as if I were advising you to do it for our sakes. It is for your own sake, too. Why, it would be great, old girl. Never another worry. Somebody always to look after you.”
The wind outside was singing a wild song, a roaring, cynical song, it seemed to Jane. She wanted to say to Bob, “But I’ve always been happy in my little house with Baldy and Philomel, and the chickens and the cats.” But of course Bob could say, “You’re not happy now, and anyhow what are you going to do about Judy?”
Judy!
She had spoken at last with an effort. “I’ll tell him to come over after dinner. We can ride for a bit.”
“Why not stay here? I’ll be at the hospital. And the storm is pretty bad.”
She had looked out of the window. “There’s no snow. Just the wind. And I feel—stifled.”
It was then that she had called up Towne. “I[243] can’t dine with you.... Judy is desperately ill....”
The houseworker had prepared a delicious dinner, but Jane ate nothing. Bob’s appetite, on the other hand, was good. He apologized for it. “I went without lunch, I was so worried.”
Jane remembered her own lunch—how careless she had been for the moment, forgetting her heaviness of heart—served like a princess sheltered from every wind that blew!
And all the rest of her life might be like that! It wouldn’t be so bad. She drank a cup of coffee, and then another. And Frederick had said that he could make her love him....
In the center of the table were some roses that Towne had given her. She stuck one of them in her girdle.
Bob finished his coffee, and stood up. “I must be going. Good luck to you, old girl....” His tone was almost cheerful. He walked around the table and touched his lips to her cheek.
When she was alone, she went in and looked at the babies. Junior had taken some of the animals to bed with him, and they trailed over the white cover—tiny tigers and elephants, lions and giraffes. Little Julia hugged her doll. How sweet she was, and such a baby!
And in the hospital Judy’s arms ached to enfold that warm little body: Judy&............