romantic sort of fool all my life--my Prince Charming had to come
dashing up on a white horse--I didn't recognize him because he was a
little clerk in a furniture store, and married to the stupidest woman
the Lord ever made!"

Sally laughed in spite of herself. Martie turned from the dimness of
the doorway, and came into the hot, clean little room. She sat down at
the table, and spread her arms across it, locking her white hands.

"It's all so funny. Sally," she said childishly. "A week ago, I was
sailing along, humbly grateful and happy because Cliff loved me. To-day
John Dryden sails for a year in the Orient. And between those few days
he drifts in here just long enough to bring my plans all tumbling about
my ears."

"I'm sorry!" Sally, busily setting bread, could say nothing more
significant. But as Martie remained silent, brooding eyes on her own
fingers, the older sister added timidly: "Do--do you think perhaps
you'll get over that--that feeling?"

"That is my only hope!" Martie said courageously.

"And after all," Sally went on, eagerly, "what could he offer you?
Cliff is--he's devoted to you, and he's steadiness itself! And I do
believe you would be perfectly contented if you just put the other
thing out of your mind, and tried to make the greatest happiness
possible out of your new life! Lydia and Pa, and all of us, and Ruth
and Teddy are all so happy about it And you know there's no safety like
the safety of being married to a good man!"

Martie laughed.

"You're quite right, Sally! But," she added, her face growing serious
again, "the terrible thing is this: If I marry Cliff, I do it--just a
LITTLE--with other things in view. The children, as you say, and the
good opinion of the town, and Pa's happiness, and Len's prosperity, and
the pleasure of being mistress of the old house, and dear knows what!
Of course I LIKE Cliff--but I tell you frankly that I'm looking even
now to the time when our honeymoon shall be over, and the first
strangeness of--well, of belonging to him is over!"

Sally's face was flaming. She had stopped working, and both sisters
faced each other consciously.

"In other words," smiled Martie, "I wish I had been married to him ten
years ago, and by this time had little Sally and Cliffy--"

"Oh, dearest, I do hope there are children!" Sally said eagerly.

"I hope so, too!" Martie said simply. And with suddenly misting eyes
Sally heard her say softly, half to herself, "I want anot