Page:The Sick-A-Bed Lady.djvu/254

 No talent. No compelling moodiness. No possible promise of " Love and Fame and Far Lands." Nothing. Just eyes and nose and mouth and hair and an ugly baseball scar on his left cheek. Merci- ful heavens! What had he to fight Aleck Reese with, except the only two virtues that a man may not brag of a decently clean life and an unstaled Love!

Grinning to rekindle his courage, he started tip toeing back along the hall to his bedroom and his kitchen, and rolled up his sleeves and began to clean house most furiously; for even if you are quite des perately in love, and a fairly good man besides, it is just a little bit crowded-feeling and disconcerting to have the lady walk unannounced right into your life and your neckties and your pictures, to say nothing of your last week s unwashed cream-jars.

Frantically struggling with his coffee-pot at seven o clock, he had almost forgotten his minor troubles when a little short, gaspy breath sound made him look up. Huddling her tired-out dress into the am ple folds of his dressing-gown, Ruth stood watching him bashfully.

" Hello ! " he said. "Who are you ?"

"I m Mrs. Andrew Bernard, attorney at law," she announced with stuttering nonchalance, and started off exploringly for the cupboard to find Drew's best green Canton china to deck the kitchen