e door, whisperingly summoned in
Laura, who was leaving the sick-room, across the hall.

"Richard is downstairs. Will you go and tell him I'm sick in
bed--or dead? Anything to make him go." And, assuming Laura's
acquiescence, Cora went on, without pause: "Is father worse?
What's the matter with you, Laura?"

"Nothing. He's a little better, Miss Peirce thinks."

"You look ill."

"I'm all right."

"Then run along like a duck and get rid of that old bore for me."

"Cora--please see him?"

"Not me! I've got too much to think about to bother with him."

Laura walked to the window and stood with her back to her sister,
apparently interested in the view of Corliss Street there
presented. "Cora," she said, "why don't you marry him and have
done with all this?"

Cora hooted.

"Why not? Why not marry him as soon as you can get ready? Why
don't you go down now and tell him you will? Why not, Cora?"

"I'd as soon marry a pail of milk--yes, tepid milk, skimmed!
I----"

"Don't you realize how kind he'd be to you?"

"I don't know about that," said Cora moodily. "He might object to
some things--but it doesn't matter, because I'm not going to try
him. I don't mind a man's being a fool, but I can't stand the
absent-minded breed of idiot. I've worn his diamond in the pendant
right in his eyes for weeks; he's never once noticed it enough
even to ask me about the pendant, but bores me to death wanting to
know why I won't wear the ring! Anyhow, what's the use talking
about him? He couldn't marry me right now, even if I wanted him
to--not till he begins to get something on the investment he made
with Val. Outside of that, he's got nothing except his rooms at
his mother's; she hasn't much either; and if Richard should lose
what he put in with Val, he couldn't marry for years, probably.
That's what made him so obstinate about it. No; if I ever marry
right off the reel it's got to be somebody with----"

"Cora"--Laura still spoke from the window, not turning--"aren't
you tired of it all, of this getting so upset about one man and
then another and----"

"_Tired_!" Cora uttered the word in a repressed fury of emphasis.
"I'm sick of _everything_! I don't care for anything or anybody on
this earth--except--except you and mamma. I thought I was going to
love Val. I thought I _did_--but oh, my Lord, I don't! I don't
think I _can_ care any more. Or else there isn't any such thing as
love. How can anybody tell whether there is or no