"Dear God—" she began, but the tide of joy and relief began to beat loudly again in her heart, sending rich waves of color into her hidden face.
"I am so happy," prayed Rosemary tumultuously. "I am so happy! I am so happy!"
Presently she rose and dragged her white shoes from the closet. Sitting in the middle of the floor, she started contentedly cleaning them.
"Rosemary?" sounded a little voice. "Rosemary, you in here?"
Rosemary straightened up so that she could see across the bed which stood between her and the doorway.
"Yes, Shirley darling," she answered. "Did you tell Winnie about mother?"
"Yes," said Shirley scrambling upon the bed. "We told her. What you doing, Sister?"
"Cleaning my white shoes," replied Rosemary, applying whitener vigorously. "I'm going to put them on and wear my white linen dress. Don't you want to dress up to-night, Shirley? Bring me your shoes, if they are dirty, and I'll do them for you."
"All right, I'll get them," decided Shirley, sliding off the bed backward. "Could I put on my blue sash, Rosemary?"
"Not with that dress," said Rosemary firmly. "I'll have to wash your face and hands and neck and then you can wear the cross-bar muslin with the lace yoke."