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 strong, determined kind of girl. You wouldn't fight me. You'd give in and wait six months sooner than quarrel if you weren't forced to marry fast. Six months is no time to a girl who ain't expecting trouble."

"Jim, you're rotten."

"Yeh. Well, you can prove that you're not. Have the fellow call around and keep company for a while. If I like him you can marry him. If you say you won't do it that way I'll know it's because you have to marry him, that you've fallen for him."

Mr. Haley ceased looking agonized long enough to look disapproving. "Jim," he admonished.

Jim didn't hear his father. He plunged on, talking down into Dot's small, feverish face. "And if you make me believe that you went to this guy without being married to him, then, God damn it, I don't want you in this house!"

Dot flinched. "You're hard, Jim," she said. "It may be that I love him too much to wait."

"I know all those stalls, too. Well, are you going to have him call here and give me time to look him over?"

Dot shook her head.

"Then it's just like I thought," said Jim. "You'll do me a great favor if you get the hell out of here."

"Jim, where'll I go?"

"Go to your sweetheart. His bed will probably hold two."

Dot didn't move. She couldn't believe that Jim was ordering her from the house.

"What are you waiting for?" he asked.

She turned resolutely to her room. One could pack and pray that during the interval thus consumed Edna would speak.

"Where are you going?" Jim roared.

"To pack," Dot said weakly.