before that it's difficult to know anyone thoroughly till
one's lived with them."

"Then at that rate, who's to get married--eh?"

"I don't know," said Ellen wearily, "all I know is that I've made two
bad mistakes over two different men, and I think the least you can do is
to let me forget it--as far as I'm able--and not come here baiting me
when I'm dog tired, and absolutely down and out...."

She bowed her face into her hands, and burst into tears. Joanna flung
her arms round her--

"Oh, don't you cry, duckie--don't--I didn't mean to bait you. Only I was
getting so mortal vexed at you and me walking round each other like two
cats and never getting a straight word."

"Jo," ... said Ellen.

Her face was hidden in her sister's shoulder, and her whole body had
drooped against Joanna's side, utterly weary after three days of travel
and disillusioned loneliness.

"Reckon I'm glad you've come back, dearie--and I won't ask you any more
questions. I'm a cross-grained, cantankerous old thing, but you'll stop
along of me a bit, won't you?"

"Yes," said Ellen, "you're all I've got in the world."

"Arthur ud take you back any day you ask it," said Joanna, thinking this
a good time for mediation.

"No--no!" cried Ellen, beginning to cry again--"I won't stay if you try
to make me go back to Arthur. If he had the slightest feeling for me he
would let me divorce him."

"How could you?--seeing that he's been a pattern all his life."

"He needn't do anything wrong--he need only pretend to. The lawyers ud
fix it up."

Ellen was getting French again. Joanna pushed her off her shoulder.

"Really, Ellen Alce, I'm ashamed of you--that you should speak such
words! What upsets me most is that you don't seem to see how wrong
you've done. Don't you never read your Bible any more?"

"No," sobbed Ellen.

"Well, there's lots in the Bible about people like you--you're called by
your right name there, and it ain't a pretty one. Some are spoken
uncommon hard of, and some were forgiven because they loved much.
Seemingly you haven't loved much, so I don't see how you expect to be
forgiven. And there's lots in the Prayer Book too ... the Bible and the
Prayer Book both say you've done wrong, and you don't seem to mind--all
you think of is how you can get out of your trouble. Reckon you're like
a child that's done wrong and thinks of nothing but coaxing round so as
not to be punished."

"I have been punished."

"Not half what you