“Did you ever think—” began Eunice. Then she stopped and hesitated.
“Think what?”
“If—anything happened to her, that that dress—”
“Oh, for the land sake, stop, Eunice!” cried Aunt Maria, impatiently. “Ain't I had it on my mind the whole time. And that dress looks just as if it was laid out there.”
“Do you think Maria notices?”
“Yes, she's just as worried as I am. But what can we do? Maybe if Evelyn gets through the graduation she will be better. I shall be thankful when it's over, for my part.”
“How that child's mother could have gone off and left her all this time I don't see,” Eunice said. “If I were in her place and anything happened to her, I should never forgive myself.”
“Trust Ida Slome to forgive herself for most anything,” Aunt Maria returned, bitterly. “But as far as that goes, I guess the child has had full as good care here as she would have had with her ma.”
“I guess so, too,” said Eunice; “better—only I should never forgive myself.”
That was only a week before the graduation day, which was on a Wednesday. It was a clear June day, with a sky of blue, veiled here and there with wing-shaped clouds. It was quite warm. Evelyn dressed herself very early. She was ready long before it was time to take the car. Evelyn, in her white graduating dress, was fairly angelic. Although she had lost so much flesh, it had not affected her beauty, only made it more touching. Her articulations and bones were so fairy-like and delicate that even with her transparent sleeved and necked dress there were no unseemly protuberances. Her slenderness, moreover, was not so apparent in her fluffy gown. Above her necklace of pink corals her lovely face showed. It was full of a gentle and uncomplaining melancholy, yet that day there was a tinge of hope in it. The faintest and most appealing smile curved her lips. She looked at everybody with a sort of wistful challenge. It was as if she said: “After all, am I not pretty, and worthy of being loved? Am I not worthy of being loved, even if I am not, and I have all my books in my head, too?”