Ive Married Marjorie | Page 9

pounced again, and kissed Marjorie rapturously, flushed with
romance.
"Oh, isn't it wonderful to have him back! And Billy may be back any
minute, too! Marge, what on earth shall we do about the apartment? It
isn't big enough for three; and I can't keep it on alone. And the
wretched thing's leased for six months longer. You know we thought
they'd be coming back together. But you and Francis can take it
over----"
"I--I don't think we need to worry about that," said Marjorie, "for a
while longer. I've made up my mind to go on working. I'd be restless

without my work. Filing's really very exciting when you're accustomed
to it----"
Lucille released her housemate and leaned back on the davenport, the
better to laugh. As she did so she flung off her coat and dropped it on
the floor, in the blessed hope that Marjorie would pick it up, which
usually happened. But Marjorie did not.
"Filing," Lucille said through her laughter, "is undoubtedly the most
stimulating amusement known to the mind of man. I wonder they pay
you for doing it--they ought to offer it as a reward! Oh, Marge, you'll
kill me! Now, you might as well be honest, my child. You know you
always tell me things eventually--why not now? What are your plans,
and did Francis bring any souvenirs? I told him to be sure to bring back
some of that French perfume that you wouldn't let him get you because
it was too expensive for his income. I wonder he ever respected you
again after that, incidentally. Did he?"
"Did he respect me? I don't know, I'm sure," said Marjorie dispiritedly.
She knew that she would tell Lucille all about it in two more minutes,
and she did not want to.
"No, darling! Did he bring the perfume?"
"I don't know," said Marjorie. "Lucille, you haven't had your bath yet."
"Did you light the hot water for me?"
"No, I forgot," said Marjorie.
"All right, I'll light it," said Lucille amiably. She was deflected by this,
and trotted out into the tiny kitchen to light the gas under the hot water
heater. She came back in an exquisite blue crêpe negligee, and curled
herself back of Marjorie on the davenport while she waited for the
water to heat, and for Marjorie to tell her about it all.
"I wish my hair curled naturally," she said idly, slipping her fingers up
the back of Marjorie's neck, where little fly-away rings always curled.

"I wish it did," said Marjorie with absent impoliteness.
Lucille laughed again.
"Come back, dear! Remember, I haven't any happy reunion to weep
over yet, and be sympathetic. And I have an engagement for dinner,
and how will I ever keep it if you don't tell me everything Francis said?
When did he see Billy last?"
"He didn't say."
"What did he say?"
"He said," said Marjorie, turning around with blazing eyes and pouring
forth her words like a fountain, "that he'd wondered if I really loved
him, and now he was sure I didn't. And that he'd come back some time
to-morrow and discuss details. And he gave me his telephone number,
and said he couldn't stay any longer, and it was pretty bad, and he had
to curl up----"
"Marjorie! Marjorie! Stop! This is a bad dream you've had, or
something out of Alice in Wonderland! Francis never said he had to
curl up. Curl up what?"
"Curl up himself, I suppose," said Marjorie with something very like a
sob. "I was perfectly rational and it made me feel dreadful to hear him
say it, and I knew just what he meant. Curl up like a dog when it's hurt.
Curl up!"
"Don't! I am!" said Lucille. "If you issue any more orders in that tone
I'll look like a caterpillar. Now, what really did happen, Marjorie?" she
ended in a gentler tone and more seriously.
She pulled Marjorie's head over on to her own plump shoulder, and put
an arm round her.
"It was all my fault. I don't love him any more. I don't want to be
married to him. I didn't mean to show it, I meant to be very good about

it, but he knows so much more than he did when he went away. He
knew it directly. And now he's dreadfully hurt."
"You poor little darling! What a horrid time you've been having all this
time everybody's been thinking you were looking forward to his
coming home. Why, you must have nearly gone crazy!"
"It's worse for him," said Marjorie in a subdued voice, nestling down
on Lucille's shoulder.
"Oh, I don't know," said Lucille comfortably. "Men can generally take
care of themselves. . . . But are you sure you don't love him the least