.

Rachel looked in at the door. "You needn't bother with the dishes,
Priss," she said. "I'll do them."

Priscilla had forgotten all about that task. She ran contritely toward
her sister. "Oh, I'm sorry, Rachel. I will, I will do them. Joel and
I...."

Rachel laughed softly. "I don't mind them. You two stay here."

Priscilla accepted the offer, in the end; but she had no notion of
staying in the tight-windowed parlor, with its harsh carpet on the floor,
and its samplers on the walls. She was of the new generation, the
generation which discovered that the night is beautiful, and not
unhealthy. "Let's go outside," she said to Joel. "There's a moon. We can
sit on the bench, under the apple tree...."

They went out, side by side. Joel was not a tall man, but he was inches
taller than Priscilla. She was tiny; a dainty, sweetly proportioned
creature, built on fine lines that were strangely out of keeping with the
stalwart stock from which she sprung. Her hair was darker than Joel's; it
was a brown so dark that it was almost black. But her eyes were vividly
blue, and her lips were vividly red, and her cheeks were bright.... She
slipped her hand through Joel's big arm as they crossed the yard; and
when they had found the seat, she drew his arm frankly about her
shoulders. "I'm cold," she said, laughing up at him. "You must keep me
warm...."

The moon flecked down through the leaves upon her face. There was
moonlight on her cheek, and on her mouth; but her thick hair and her eyes
were shadowed and mysterious. Joel saw that her lips were smiling.... She
drew his head down toward hers.... Joel was flesh and blood; and she
panted, and gasped, and pushed him away, and smoothed her hair, and
laughed at him. "I love you to be so strong," she whispered, happily.

He had not told them, at supper, of his promotion. He told Priscilla now;
and the girl could not sit still beside him. She danced in the path
before the seat; she perched on his knee, and caught his big shoulders in
her tiny hands and tried to shake him back and forth in her delight. "You
don't act a bit excited," she scolded. "You don't act as though you were
glad, a bit. Aren't you glad, Joe? Aren't you just so proud?..."

"Yes," he told her. "Of course. Yes. Yes, I am glad, and I am proud."

"Oh," she cried, "I could--I could just hug you in two." She tried it,
tightening her arms about his big neck, clinging to him.... He sat stiff
and awkward under her caresses,