Angelica stopped her.

"I prayed," she said.

"Oh, my deary! I’m so glad. God’ll hear you and——”

"I prayed it would die."

"Angie!"

"You didn’t think I wanted it, did you?"

"You’ll feel different when it’s here."

"I sha’n’t. Lots of people don’t. It’s a curse to me, a curse! A baby—me with a living to earn the rest of my life! No—I’ll hate it. I do now. I’d have to hate any child with his blood in it. I hope it’ll die!"

"That’s a wicked, wicked thing to say, Angie."

"Maybe you’d be surprised to know how wicked I feel. My Gawd, what I’ve done! The chance I’ve thrown away!"