Page:Frank Owen - Woman Without Love (1949 reprint).djvu/108

 many others that she is the foremost writer in America today. The book was right. Cabbages were beautiful, especially when they were well-cooked and mashed up with plenty of butter.

After supper she was in a surprisingly good humor. She followed Mrs. Nordstrom, her landlady, up stairs that screamed in terror at every step she took. Opening off the upper hall were four rooms. Louella's room was big and bleak and bare. The bed seemed lost in a corner and a washstand that sloped at a perilous angle stood beside it. On the washstand was a huge basin and a large jug of water. The only other furniture in the room was a chair and a kerosene lamp.

"Stayin' long?" asked Mrs. Nordstrom, nervously twitching her apron string with her bony fingers.

She was a tall, thin, slatternly woman and she was overworked and lonesome. Her nearest neighbor lived three miles away and it was seldom she had time to go calling. This huge, well-dressed lady from the cities outside appealed to her. It was a diversion. She stood in awe of her.

"Oh, a few days, perhaps a week," replied Louella lightly.

Then she noticed Mrs. Nordstrom's sad expression, almost haunting. This woman might have been beautiful if she were not so gaunt. She had plenty of food and yet she was starving; starving for beauty. Louella decided that before she returned home she would give Mrs. Nordstrom most of her clothes. Of course they'd be too large but she could make them over. Farm women are usually handy with the needle. She would use care in bestowing her gifts, make it appear that she wasn't doing it for the sake of charity.

When she decided to make a person like her, Louella always succeeded. She had a magnetic personality. It was easy for her to work her spell upon this sweet farm woman who so much longed for beautiful things.

When Louella bade Ivan good-night some hours later, she was in excellent spirits.

"I'm so glad I came!" she gushed. "Tomorrow morning I intend to get up to see the sunrise."

"Good!" he cried. "I'll go along. I'll do more. I'll wake you. Then you'll be sure not to miss it."