What would John think, Grace wondered—John of the high ideals and aspirations, if he knew that it was only because Irene had broken with a man whose mistress she had been and in consequence was disposed to take refuge in things wholly foreign to her nature and experience, that she had accepted an invitation to attend a picture show that celebrated the joys and sorrows of the pioneers!
It was settled that John should go home with her for supper and that they would meet Irene in the lobby of the theatre. Grace took occasion to caution John against mentioning Irene at home. Her mother and Ethel didn’t like Irene, she explained.
“I don’t see but she’s a pretty fine girl,” John replied. “And it makes a hit with me that she’s such a good friend of yours.”
“Of course I’m not going,” said Irene when Grace went back to her department. “I supposed you understood that.”
“I certainly didn’t. John wanted you or he wouldn’t have asked you. You know what you were saying about sex! Here’s a chance to prove you can forget it. Let’s assume John’s taking us to a movie merely because we’re charming and amusing persons; just as he might take a couple of young men.”
“Well I don’t care anything about going to a show right now when I’m wearing mourning for myself, but I’d just like to sit near that suitor of yours for an hour or two. He does me good.”
This was not like Irene, and Grace discounted heavily her friend’s admiration for John. It was merely that Irene was contrasting John with Kemp, in much the same spirit that she had praised Trenton at the lunch table.
“If he knew me for what I am he’d probably run like a scared rabbit,” said Irene, slipping a tape-line through her fingers. “I felt myself an awful fraud all the time I talked to him.”
“You can always rely on John to think the best of everybody and everything,” Grace replied. “He’s a mighty satisfactory sort of person. If I ever got into trouble I know John would stand by me.”
“I believe you’re right,” Irene returned. “A man with eyes like his is bound to be mighty square. But when I sat there kidding him about you I did feel awfully guilty and ashamed of myself. I was afraid those eyes might see too much!”