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“The next day was Sunday. Mother an’ me went to meeting in a splendid church, and wore our new black silks. They gave us seats way up in front, an’ there was a real good sermon, though mother thought it wa’n’t very practical, an’ folks got up an’ sat down more’n we do. Mother an’ me set still, for fear we’d get up an’ down in the wrong place. That evening we went to a sacred concert. Everywhere we went we rode in a carriage. They invited us to at the hotel, an’ I s’posed it was free, but it wa’n’t, I found out afterwards.

“The next day was Monday – that’s yesterday. Mother an’ me went out to the stores again. I bought a silk bed-quilt, an’ some handsome vases, an’ some green an’ gilt teacups setting in a tray to match. I’ve got ’em home without breaking. We got some silk stockings, too, an’ some shoes, an’ some gold-bowed spectacles for mother, an’ two more silk dresses, an’ mother a real cashmere shawl. Then we went to see some wax-works, and the pictures and curiosities in the Art Museum; then in the afternoon we went to ride again, and we were goin’ to the theatre in the evening; but the gentleman at the counter called out to me when I was going past an’ said he wanted to speak to me a minute.

“Then I found out we’d spent all that fifteen hundred dollars, an’ more too. We owed ‘m ‘most ten dollars at the hotel; an’ that wa’n’t the worst of it – we didn’t have enough money to take us home.

“Mother she broke right down an’ cried, an’ said it was all we had in the world besides the farm, an’ it was poor father’s insurance money, an’ we couldn’t get home, an’ we’d have to go to prison.

“Folks come crowding round, an’ I couldn’t stop her. I don’t know what I did do myself; I felt kind of dizzy, an’ things looked dark. A lady come an’ held a smelling-bottle to my nose, an’ the gentleman at the counter sent a man with brass buttons for some wine.

“After I felt better an’ could talk steady they questioned me up pretty sharp, an’ I told ’em the whole story – about father an’ his rheumatism, an’ everything, just how I was situated, an’ I must say they treated us like Christian folks, though, after all, I don’t know as we were much beholden to ’em. We never begun to eat all there was on the list, an’ we were real careful of the furniture; we didn’t really get our money’s worth after all was said. But they said the rest of our bill to them was no matter, an’ they gave us our tickets to come home.”

There was a pause. William looked at Narcissa in her blue gown as if she were a riddle whose answer was lost in his memory. His honest eyes were fairly pitiful from excess of questioning.

“Well,” said Narcissa, “I’ve come back, an’ I’ve spent all that money. I’ve been wasteful an’ extravagant an’ – There was a gentleman beautifully dressed who sat at our table, an’ he talked real pleasant about the weather, an’ – I got to thinking about him a little. Of course I didn’t like him as well as you, William, for what comes first comes last with all our folks, but somehow he seemed to be kind of a part of the good time. I sha’n’t never see him again, an’ all there was betwixt us was his saying twice it was a pleasant day, an’ once it was cold, an’ me saying yes; but I’m going to tell you the whole. I’ve been an’ wasted fifteen hundred dollars; I’ve let my thoughts wander from you; an’ that ain’t all. I’ve had a good time, an’ I can’t say I ‘ain’t. I’ve had one good time, an’ – I ain’t sorry. You can – do just what you think best, William, an’ – I won’t blame you.”

William Crane went over to the window. When he turned round and looked at Narcissa his eyes were full of tears and his wide mouth was trembling.”Do you think you can be contented to – stay on my side of the wall now, Narcissa?” he said, with a sweet and pathetic dignity.

Narcissa in her blue robes went over to him, and put, for the first time of her own accord, an arm around his faithful neck.”I wouldn’t go out again if the bars were down,” said she.