Page:Delight - de la Roche - 1926.djvu/33

 May bent over Delight. "Do you want a wet wash-rag in the eye, duckie? I'll just give you till I count ten. One—two—three—four—five—"

Delight was out on the floor, pulling her nightdress over her head. "Oo—May," she wailed, "I'm so—sleepy. Couldn't you tell them I'm having a spell of some kind?"

"You aren't 'ired to 'ave spells, my girl. 'Ere, 'op into yer duds." She threw an armful of underclothes at her.

As one in a dream, Delight caught them and stood blinking sleepily out of the window. The red sunlight stained the warm whiteness of her body to the blush of an apple-blossom. Her breasts, gently rising and falling, lay like sleeping flowers between her rounded arms. A tangle of yellow curls hung over her drowsy dark eyes. May suddenly beheld her.

"Get back from before that window!" she screamed in a whisper. "Do you want to make a show for the whole town?" She added, solemnly—"Delight, I'm afraid this ain't no place for you. But then I don't know what would be a place for you, I really don't."

"Silly," said Delight, pulling on her stockings. "I fit in anywhere."

Breakfast was ready. Already half the boarders were in their places. These were tannery hands, men from the dye works and jam factory, who had to be at their work early. They sat at a long table by themselves, distinct from the commercial table, the table for other transients, and the table for boarders of a higher class. They were boarded at a low rate, had, in consequence, no table-napkins or bill-of-fare, wiping their mouths on their handkerchiefs when through eating, and being told what