k was to come back at five. Let
me send him for the things! What do we want?"

"Well, we don't want to keep you, lovey," her mother began. But Julia
was already writing a list.

"Indeed I'm going to stay and have some with you, Mrs. Page," she said
cheerfully. "Chops for the family--aren't those quickest? And a quart of
oysters for Mama, and cake and cheese and jam and eggs--tell me
anything you think of, Aunt May, because he might as well do it
thoroughly!

"Mama and Regina are going to have oyster soup and toast because they
are the invalids!" she announced cheerfully, coming back from the door a
little later, "You like oysters, don't you, Mama?"

"Oh, Julia, I like 'em _so_ much!" Mrs. Page said, with grateful fervour.

"You can have other things, too, you know, Madam," Julia assured her
playfully. "And why don't you let me push you, so--" She wheeled the
chair across the kitchen as she spoke. "Over here, you see, you're out
of the crowd," she said. She presently put a coaxing arm about Regina.
"Do go up and brush your hair and change, dear, you'll feel so much
better," she urged.

"I feel rotten," Regina said, dragging herself stairward nevertheless.

Poor Mrs. Page cried when the moment for parting came. It was still
early in the evening when Julia bundled up the sleeping Anna, and sent
her to the motor car by Chester, a gentle gray-haired man, who had been
extremely appreciative of a good dinner, and who had been sitting with
his wet socks in the oven, and his stupid kindly eyes contentedly fixed
upon Julia and her mother.

"I may not see you again, Julie," Mrs. Page said with trembling lips.
"Mama ain't strong like she once was, dear. And I declare I don't know
what I _shall_ do, when day after day goes by and you don't come
in--always so sweet!" The tears began to flow, and she twisted her head,
and slowly and painfully raised her handkerchief in a crippled hand to
dry her eyes. Julia knelt down to kiss her, her young face very sober.

"Listen, Mama--don't cry! Please don't cry!" said she. "Listen! I'll
_promise_ you to see you again before I go!"

Her mother brightened visibly at this, and Julia kissed her again, and
ran out in the dripping rain to her car. She took the baby into her
arms, and settled back in the darkness for the long trip to her hotel.
And for the first time in many months her thoughts were not of her own
troubles.

She thought of the Shotwell Street house, and wondered what had