The Crux | Page 8

another
letter from Mort."
Vivian's sombre eyes lit up a little.
"How's he getting on? In the same business he was last year?" she
asked with an elaborately cheerful air. Morton had seemed to change
occupations oftener than he wrote letters.
"Yes, I believe so. I guess he's well. He never says much, you know. I
don't think it's good for him out there good for any boy." And Susie
looked quite the older sister.
"What are they to do? They can't stay here."
"No, I suppose not but we have to."
"Dr. Bellair didn't," remarked Vivian. "I like her tremendously, don't
you?" In truth, Dr. Bellair was already a close second to Mrs. St. Cloud
in the girl's heroworshipping heart.

"Oh, yes; she's splendid! Aunt Rella is so glad to have her with us.
They have great times recalling their school days together. Aunty used
to like her then, though she is five years older but you'd never dream it.
And I think she's real handsome."
"She's not beautiful," said Vivian, with decision, "but she's a lot better.
Sue Elder, I wish-
"Wish what?" asked her friend.
Sue put the books on the gate-post, and the two girls, arm in arm,
walked slowly up and down. Susie was a round, palely rosy little
person, with a delicate face and soft, light hair waving fluffily about her
small head. Vivian's hair was twice the length, but so straight and fine
that its mass had no effect. She wore it in smooth plaits wound like a
wreath from; brow to nape.
After an understanding silence and a walk past three gates and back
again, Vivian answered her.
"I wish I were in your shoes," she said.
"What do you mean having the Doctor in the house?"
"No I'd like that too; but I mean work to do your position."
"Oh, the library! You needn't; it's horrid. I wish I were in your shoes,
and had a father and mother to take care of me. I can tell you, it's no
fun having to be there just on time or get fined, and having to poke
away all day with those phooty old ladies and tiresome children."
"But you're independent."
"Oh, yes, I'm independent. I have to be. Aunt Rella could take care of
me, I suppose, but of course I wouldn't let her. And I dare say library
work is better than schoolteaching."
"What'll we be doing when we're forty, I wonder?" said Vivian, after
another turn.

"Forty! Why I expect to be a grandma by that time," said Sue. She was
but twenty-one, and forty looked a long way off to her.
"A grandma! And knit?" suggested Vivian.
"Oh, yes baby jackets and blankets and socks and little shawls. I love to
knit," said Sue, cheerfully.
"But suppose you don't marry?" pursued her friend.
"Oh, but I shall marry you see if I don't. Marriage" here she carefully
went inside the gate and latched it "marriage is a woman's duty!" And
she ran up the path laughing.
Vivian laughed too, rather grimly, and slowly walked towards her own
door.
The little sitting-room was hot, very hot; but Mr. Lane sat with his
carpet-slippered feet on its narrow hearth with a shawl around him.
"Shut the door, Vivian!" he exclaimed irritably. "I'll never get over this
cold if such draughts are let in on me."
"Why, it's not cold out, Father and it's very close in here."
Mrs. Lane looked up from her darning. "You think it's close because
you've come in from outdoors. Sit down and don't fret your father; I'm
real worried about him."
Mr. Lane coughed hollowly. He had become a little dry old man with
gray, glassy eyes, and had been having colds in this fashion ever since
Vivian could remember.
"Dr. Bellair says that the out-door air is the best medicine for a cold,"
remarked Vivian, as she took off her things.
"Dr. Bellair has not been consulted in this case," her father returned
wheezingly. "I'm quite satisfied with my family physician. He's a man,
at any rate."

"Save me from these women doctors!" evclaimed his wife.
Vivian set her lips patiently. She had long since learned how widely
she differed from both father and mother, and preferred silence to
dispute.
Mr. Lane was a plain, ordinary person, who spent most of a moderately
useful life in the shoe business, from which he had of late withdrawn.
Both he and his wife "had property" to a certain extent; and now lived
peacefully on their income with neither fear nor hope, ambition nor
responsibility to trouble them. The one thing they were yet anxious
about was to see Vivian married, but this wish seemed to be no nearer
to fulfillment for the passing years.
"I don't know what the women