Where was he? “’Crost the ’Lantic Oshin,” as Bess had said. She had no more idea of the Atlantic Ocean than she had of the location of heaven; not as much, for it seemed as if heaven might be over beyond the setting sun. But John Travis was still in the world. And as she sat there it seemed as if she must live to tell him about Bess, and an aim brightened her dreary life. Two months and a little more. She would come over often when the weather grew pleasanter. Already she began to feel better.
But she could not take the heartfelt glow back to Barker’s Court. The loneliness settled down like a pall. The long, long evenings were intolerable. Sometimes she crept down and spent an hour with Mrs. Minch; but she was afraid her mother might come home inopportunely.
Mrs. Quinn was growing much worse in her habits; and she lost her best place, which did not improve her temper. Dil’s apathetic manner angered her as well; yet the house was kept cleaner than ever, her mother’s clothes were always in order, and there was nothing to find fault about, except the lack of babies, which Dil could not help.
One night in February there was quite a carouse at Mrs. MacBride’s. It was midnight when Mrs. Quinn returned. Poor Dil should have been in bed, out of harm’s way; but she had been living over that fateful night, believing with the purest and most passionate fervor that she might have called Bess back to life if she could have gone to her.
A man helped Mrs. Quinn up the stairs, and tumbled her in the door. Dil sprang up in affright.
Mrs. Quinn stared at Dil with bleared eyes.
“What yer doin’ up this time o’ night? Yees do be enough to set wan crazy wid yer mewlin’, pinched-up mug that’s humbly as a stun! Why d’n’ ye laugh an’ hev a good time, an’ make the house decent, stead er like a grave? I’m not goin’ to stan’ it—d’y hear?”
Dil glanced about in alarm, and would have fled to her room, but her mother caught her by the arm.
“Come,” she cried, “I’ll shake the glumness outen yer. Why, ye’d spile vinegar even! I’ll tache ye a little friskiness.”
Dil struggled to free herself, but uttered no word.