Page:Scarlet Sister Mary (1928).pdf/101

 not come home for dinner yet, and he liked his victuals to be nice and hot. But Doll insisted, so she put up the scouring brush and changed her dress, put on a clean white apron and her fine hoop earrings and went to the store with Doll.

The dress cloth was beautiful, but she had no money to buy a single yard. June treated Doll and herself to a bag of candy and a battle of soda-water and after they had laughed and talked a while, he bought them each string of beads and a can of salmon, then they came on home.

July was standing in the door when they walked up. His face was frowning and he had little to say to any of them. Doll had prepared Mary for that very thing. Doll warned her that if July started any short talk, just to outtalk him; if he said anything rough, to answer him back still rougher. That was the way to manage men. July was spoiled. He was used to having his own way with everybody. He needed a wife who would rule him instead of one who was soft and gave in to all his spoiled ways.

Mary went in the house and started to feed Unex, and when she saw the black frown on July's face she put on one that was blacker. As soon as she laid Unex down on the bed July reached out a hand and took her by the arm. His