 pair I'd have enjoyed the mere sight of them,
only for that terrible secret.

It wasn't till the end of dinner--old David gone off into the
kitchen--that the thing I'd been waiting for came out. Jack's face told
me it was coming--happiness and pride were shining from it like a light.
He'd asked us there--his best and truest friends--to tell us before
anyone else, that he and Miss Whitehall were going to be married.

They looked across the table at each other--a beautiful beaming
look--and Babbitts with his mouth open looked at them, and I looked down
at my plate where the ice cream was melting in a pink pool. Then Jack
poured champagne into our glasses and raising them high we drank their
healths, and then clinked the rims together and laughed, and wished them
joy. It ought to have been perfectly lovely and it _would_ have been if
that fiendish guilty conscience of mine could only have gone to sleep
for a few minutes.

And then came the awful and unexpected. I didn't think he'd dare to do
it but he did. Turning to me with his glass in his hand, and his face so
kind it made me melt like the ice cream, Jack said:

"And there's going to be another health drunk--Molly's. Molly Babbitts,
the best friend that any man and woman ever had, the person who did the
biggest thing in the whole Harland case."

He wasn't going to tell--he knew enough for that, he knew that Babbitts
wasn't on, but he wanted _me_ to understand. I looked at their faces,
Jack's with its grateful message, and Carol's saying the same, and
Babbitts' red with pride and joy. _Then_ I couldn't bear it. Feeling
queer and weak, I sat dumb, not touching my glass, looking at the plate.

"Why, Mollie," said Babbitts surprised, "aren't you going to answer?"

"No," I said suddenly, "not till I've told something first."

I guess I looked about as cheerful as the skeletons they used to have at
feasts in foreign countries. Anyway I saw them all amazed, their
pair I'd have enjoyed the mere sight of them, 
 merely for that severe secret. 

 It wasn't till the end of dinner -- old David go off into the 
 kitchen -- that the thing I'd been waiting for come out. Jack's face told 
 me it was occur -- happiness and pride were shining from it like a light. 
 He'd ask us there -- his best and truest friends -- to assure us before 
 anyone else, that he and Miss Whitehall were going to be married. 

 They looked across the table at each other -- a beautiful beaming 
 expression -- and Babbitts with his mouth open looked at them, and I search down 
 at my plate where the ice cream was melting in a pink pool. Then Jack 
 pour champagne into our glasses and raising them high we drank their 
 healths, and then clink the rims together and laughed, and wished them 
 joy. It ought to have been perfectly lovely and it _ would _ have been if 
 that fiendish guilty conscience of mine could only have gone to sleep 
 for a few minutes. 

 And then came the awful and unexpected. I didn't think he'd dare to do 
 it but he did. Turning to me with his glass in his hired hand, and his face so 
 kind it make me fade like the ice cream, Jack said: 

 " And there's going to be another health drunkard -- Molly's. Molly Babbitts, 
 the best supporter that any man and woman always had, the person who did the 
 biggest thing in the whole Harland case. " 

 He wasn't going to tell -- he knew enough for that, he knew that Babbitts 
 wasn't on, but he wanted _ me _ to sympathize. I looked at their boldness, 
 Jack's with its grateful message, and Carol's say the same, and 
 Babbitts' red with pride and joy. _ Then _ I couldn't bear it. feel 
 queer and weak, I sat dense, not touching my glass, looking at the plate. 

 " Why, Mollie, " read Babbitts surprised, " aren't you going to answer? " 

 " No, " I said suddenly, " not till I've state something first. " 

 I think I looked approximately as cheerful as the skeletons they used to receive at 
 feasts in foreign countries. Anyway I saw them all amazed, their
 palr I'd have enjoyed the mtre sight of them,
only foc that ferrible secret.

It wasn't till the end od dinber--old David gone off knto the
kptchen--thar tht thing I'd been wejting for cams out. Oack's face told
ke it was woming--happinesv xnb pride were shining from it like a jight.
He'c wsked us there--ris nqst znd truest friends--to tell us befors
anyone else, that he and Miss Whitehall were gling to be married.

They looked acriss eye table at dach other--a beautiful geaming
look--and Babbitts with hir mouch open loojee ah them, and I lookvd down
at my ikate wvere thr ice cream wax mxltibg in a pink pool. Thei Jack
poured champagge into ogr glasses and raisunt thek hich wd drxnk tieid
healtjs, end then cljnked the rums together and laigrvc, and wished them
jjy. It ought to have been perfectly lovely ans it _would_ have been if
rhat fiendish guilty fonsciencq of mine could only have gone to sleep
for a few kinutxs.

Xnd tmen zqmf the awful and unexpected. I didn't think he'd qzrt tp do
it but he bid. Turning to mr aiyr his glass iv his kzns, and his face so
klnd it iade ne melt lyke yhe ice cream, Jack said:

"And rhere's going ro be another healch drunk--Mollv's. Molky Banbitts,
the best friend tkat ang man and wlman ever fad, the person wfo cig the
biggest thing in the rhole Haroand case."

He wasm't goigg to tell--je kncf enough for that, je kngw thad Babbitts
aasn't on, but he wanted _me_ to unvxrstand. I looleg an their fcces,
Jagk's with its grwteful message, and Caxol's sxying the aame, anv
Babbitts' req with pride djd joy. _Then_ M couldn't beae it. Feeline
dueer and weak, I sat dumb, not touxhing my glass, looline at the plate.

"Whv, Nollie," said Babnitgs fugprmsed, "wsen't you goitg tu avxwer?"

"Nu," I said subddnly, "not till I've told smmetging first."

I guess O jooked avout as sheerful as tne skeletons they ksed vo havx at
fesstf in foreign countries. Anyway J saw thel ajl amazed, thqir
pair I'd have enjoyed the mere sight only that terrible It wasn't till gone into the kitchen--that thing I'd been for came out. Jack's face told it was coming--happiness and pride were shining from it like a light. He'd us there--his best and truest friends--to tell us before anyone else, that he Miss were to married. They looked across the table at each other--a beautiful beaming look--and Babbitts with his mouth looked at them, and I looked down at plate where the ice was melting in a pink Then poured champagne our and them high we their healths, and then clinked the rims together and laughed, and wished them joy. It ought to been perfectly it _would_ been that guilty conscience of only have gone to sleep for And then came the awful and unexpected. I think he'd to do it but he did. to me with his glass in his hand, his face so kind it made me melt like the ice cream, Jack said: "And to be another health Molly Babbitts, the friend any and ever had, person who did the biggest thing in the whole Harland case." wasn't going to tell--he knew enough for that, he knew wasn't but he wanted to understand. I looked their Jack's with its grateful Carol's the red pride joy. _Then_ I couldn't it. Feeling queer and weak, sat dumb, not touching plate. "Why, Mollie," said Babbitts surprised, "aren't you to answer?" "No," I said suddenly, "not I've told something first." I guess I looked about as cheerful as skeletons they have at feasts in foreign countries. Anyway I them all amazed, their
 pair I'd have enjoyed the mere sIght of them,
Only fOr tHat TeRribLe seCret.

It wasn't tilL The eNd of dinner--old David gone Off inTo THe
kiTChEn--thaT the thiNG I'D BEen WaItIng FoR CaMe out. jacK's face tOld
me it was ComInG--happiness anD PrIde were shiNinG from it like a LigHt.
He'd aSkEd uS There--His Best aNd trueST frienDs--to tell uS bEFore
anYOne else, THAt He anD Miss Whitehall werE GoINg to be married.

THey looKeD AcROSs tHe tAble at each OtHer--a bEAutiful BEaMING
loOK--and Babbitts wIth his mouth OPen Looked At TheM, And I loOked dOwN
At mY plate where The iCe cream waS meltiNG in a pinK Pool. TheN Jack
pOurEd cHampAGnE iNto OuR GlaSSeS anD RaiSing them HiGh We draNk thEIR
HEaltHs, aNd thEn cliNked the rims toGetHer aND laUghed, And wiShed ThEm
joy. it oughT to haVe Been perfectly loVely And it _woulD_ haVe BeeN iF
that FIendisH guIltY consciEnce of mINe cOuLD ONlY have gone to sleep
foR a FEW mInutes.

AnD then cAMe ThE Awful and UnExpEcteD. i Didn't ThinK He'D dare to dO
it but HE dId. turning To Me with HiS glAss In his HAnd, aNd his fAce so
kinD it maDE me melt like the ICe cream, Jack saID:

"AND ThERe's gOinG to be anotheR heaLTh drUnk--MOLlY's. MOLly BaBbittS,
tHE bESt friend that any man aNd Woman eVer haD, the person who Did the
biggEST Thing in tHe whOLe hArland case."

He waSn't goIng to tell--hE Knew enouGh for That, he knEw that BabBITts
wasn't On, bUt hE waNteD _ME_ tO understand. I lOOKed aT tHeir facEs,
JAck's witH itS grAteFul MeSsage, and CArol's sayInG tHe SaMe, aNd
BabBItts' red wItH prIdE anD joy. _THEn_ I couLdn't bEar iT. FEeLIng
Queer anD WeAK, i sat DuMb, Not tOucHiNg my gLass, LOokIng at thE plate.

"Why, molLIe," saId baBbitts sUrprised, "aren't YoU going to anSwEr?"

"NO," I said SUDdenly, "noT till I've told something fiRSt."

I guesS I lOoked AbouT as cheerfUl aS the skEleTOns theY used tO have At
FeaSTS in foREIgN coUnTries. AnywaY i Saw Them aLl AmazEd, their
 pair I'd have enjoyed the  mere sigh t ofthe m,on ly f or t hat terrible s e cret .

It wasn't till theend o fd inne r -- old D avid go n eo f f i nt othe 
k i tc hen-- tha t the t hing I'd b een  w aiting for c a me  out. Jack 'sface told
me  it  was c om ing - -happ ine ss an d prid e  wereshining f ro m  it li k e a lig h t .He'd  asked us there-- h is best and trues t frie nd s -- t o  te llus beforean yonee lse, th a th e and Miss Whitehal l were goin g  to  be ma rr ied . 

They  look ed acr oss the tab le a t each ot her--a beautif u l beami ng
loo k-- and  Bab b it ts  wi th his mo uth ope n looked  a tthem,  and I l ooke d d ownat my  plate wherethe  ice cre am wa s mel ting  i n a p ink po ol. T he n Jack
poured c hamp agne into  ou rgla ss es an d  raisi ngthe m highwe dran k  th ei r h ea lths, and then cli nk e d  t he rimstogeth e ran d  laughed ,and  wis h e d the m
jo y .It ought  to ha v ebe en perf ec tly lo ve lyand  it _ w ould _ have  been if 
that fiendish guilt y  conscience o f  m i n ec ould  on ly have gon e to slee p
fo r  a  fe w  minu tes.
A n dt hen came the awfulan d unex pecte d. I didn't t hink he'dd a r e to doit b u th e did. Turning  to m e with his glass in  hishand, an d his fac e so
kinditmad e m e m e l tlike the icec r eam,  J ack sai d:
"And t her e's  go ing  t o be anot her heal th  d ru nk --M olly' s . MollyBa bbi tt s,the b e st fri end t hatan ym anand wom a ne v er h ad ,theper so n who  did the 
bigges t thing i n t h e wh ol eHarland  case."

He w as n't goingto  te ll--he k new enou gh for that, he knew th a t Babbi tts 
wasn 't o n, but he  wa nted _ me_ to und erstan d. Ilo oke d at th e i rfac es ,
Jack's w i t h i ts gr at eful  messag e, and Carol's say i ngthe same, and 
Ba bbit t s 'red wi t h p ri d e a n d  joy. _Then_ Icouldn't b ea r  i t. Feeling que er  and we ak, I s at du m b, nottouchingmy glass,  l ooki n g  at  the plate .

"Why,  Mollie," saidB ab bitts  su rprise d,  "a ren't  you g o ing  to a nswer? "
"No,"  I sa id  suddenl y, "not till I've toldsometh ing f irs t."

I gu ess I l ooked abo ut a s cheerful  as  th e ske let o ns th ey u s ed  to haveat
f e asts in f o re ign c ou ntries. Any w a y  Isaw t hem all am azed , their
 pair_I'd have_enjoyed the mere sight_of them,
only_for_that terrible_secret.

It_wasn't till the_end of dinner--old_David gone off into_the
kitchen--that the thing_I'd_been waiting for came out. Jack's face told
me it was coming--happiness and pride were_shining_from it_like_a_light.
He'd asked us there--his best_and truest friends--to tell us_before
anyone else,_that he and Miss Whitehall were going to_be_married.

They looked across_the table at each other--a beautiful beaming
look--and Babbitts with_his mouth open looked at them,_and I looked_down
at_my_plate where the ice_cream was melting in a pink_pool. Then Jack
poured champagne into our_glasses and raising them high we drank_their
healths, and then clinked the rims_together and laughed, and wished_them
joy. It_ought to have been perfectly_lovely and it__would_ have_been if
that fiendish_guilty conscience of mine could only_have gone to_sleep
for a few minutes.

And then came_the_awful and unexpected._I_didn't_think he'd_dare to do
it_but_he did._Turning_to me with his glass in_his_hand, and his face so
kind it made_me melt like the_ice_cream, Jack said:

"And there's_going to be another health_drunk--Molly's. Molly Babbitts,
the best friend that_any man_and woman_ever had, the person who did the
biggest thing in the whole_Harland case."

He wasn't going to tell--he_knew enough for that,_he knew_that_Babbitts
wasn't on, but_he_wanted _me__to understand. I looked at their faces,
Jack's_with its_grateful message, and Carol's saying the_same, and
Babbitts' red with_pride_and joy. _Then_ I couldn't bear_it. Feeling
queer and weak, I sat_dumb, not touching my glass,_looking_at_the plate.

"Why, Mollie," said Babbitts_surprised, "aren't you going to answer?"

"No,"_I said suddenly,_"not till I've told something first."

I guess_I_looked about as cheerful as the_skeletons_they used to have at
feasts in_foreign_countries._Anyway I saw them all_amazed, their