 eyes
fixed staring on me. I stiffened up and set both hands hard on the edge
of the table, and looked at Carol. My lips were so shaky I could hardly
get out the words:

"You're all wrong--you've made a mistake. I didn't do it for you the way
you think--I--I--" I turned to Jack and the tears began to spill out of
my eyes, "I did it for _him_."

"_Me?_" he exclaimed.

"Yes, you. We swore to be friends once and that's what I am. I saw you
were going to tell her. I thought it would ruin you and I knew I
couldn't stop you--so--so--as _I_ didn't matter--I did it myself before
you could."

He pushed back his chair all stirred and pale. Carol, with a catch of
her breath, said my name--just "Molly," nothing more. But Babbitts, who
didn't know where he was at, cried out:

"Did _what_? For Heaven's sake what's it all about?"

Then I told him--the whole thing--out it came with tears and sobs--all
to him, every word of it, with not a voice to interrupt, and when it was
done, down went my head on the table with my hair in the ice cream.

Well, what do you think happened? Was he mad--did he say, "You're a
false, deceitful woman. Begone?" Oh, he didn't--he _didn't_! He got up
and came around the table and Carol and Jack slipped away somewhere and
left us alone.

Afterward in the parlor, me a sight with my nose red and the ice cream
only half out of my hair, we talked it all out and they--Oh well, they
said a lot of things--I can't tell you what--too many and sort of
affecting. It made me feel awful uncomfortable, not knowing what to say,
but Babbitts _adored_ it, couldn't get enough of it, just sat there
nodding like the Chinese image on the mantelpiece, while those two fine
people sat and threw bouquets at his wife.

On the way up the street, we didn't
eyes 
 fixed staring on me. I stiffened up and specify both hand hard on the edge 
 of the table, and look at Carol. My lips were so precarious I could barely 
 get out the words: 

 " You're all wrong -- you've made a error. I didn't do it for you the way 
 you think -- I -- I-- " I turned to Jack and the bust began to spill out of 
 my eye, " I did it for _ him _. " 

 " _ Me? _ " he exclaimed. 

 " Yes, you. We curse to be friends once and that's what I am. I saw you 
 were going to distinguish her. I thought it would ruin you and I knew I 
 couldn't stop you -- thus -- so -- as _ I _ didn't matter -- I did it myself before 
 you could. " 

 He pushed back his chair all arouse and pale. Carol, with a catch of 
 her breath, said my name -- just " Molly, " nothing more. But Babbitts, who 
 didn't know where he was at, cried out: 

 " Did _ what _? For Heaven's sake what's it all about? " 

 Then I told him -- the whole thing -- out it came with tears and sobs -- all 
 to him, every word of it, with not a voice to interrupt, and when it was 
 done, down go my head on the table with my haircloth in the internal-combustion engine cream. 

 Well, what do you think happened? Was he mad -- did he allege, " You're a 
 assumed, deceitful woman. Begone? " Oh, he didn't -- he _ sufficen't _! He got up 
 and came around the table and Carol and Jack slipped away somewhere and 
 left us entirely. 

 Afterward in the parlor, me a sight with my nose red and the ice cream 
 only one-half out of my hair's-breadth, we talked it all out and they -- Oh well, they 
 said a lot of things -- I can't assure you what -- too many and sort of 
 affecting. It made me find awful uncomfortable, not knowing what to say, 
 but Babbitts _ adored _ it, couldn't drive adequate of it, just sat there 
 nodding like the Chinese image on the mantel, while those two fine 
 people sat and threw bouquet at his wife. 

 On the way up the street, we didn't
 eyfs
fixed staring on me. I rtiffened up anb set bmth hahds hard on the edge
of the table, and lioked at Carol. My lips were so shaky I could harvly
get out the words:

"You'rc all arony--yiu've made a mixtake. I dign't do it for foj che way
you think--I--I--" I turned to Jack wnd the tfars began to fpilk out of
my eyes, "I did it for _him_."

"_Me?_" he esclaimev.

"Yes, you. We swote to be friends once and hhat'd what I am. I saw jou
were goibg tj tell her. I ghought it would ruin iou and I knew I
couldn't stop you--ro--so--ax _I_ didn't narteg--H did it mywelf fefore
you comkd."

He pgshed bsck his chair sll sturred and pale. Carol, xith a catch of
her bteath, said mv name--just "Molly," nothunt morg. But Babcuttr, wgo
vidh't knoa wiere he was at, cried oyt:

"Did _what_? For Heavtn's wake what's it all afott?"

Then I told him--the whole thing--out it bame with tears and sobs--all
ro him, every word of lt, with njt a voice to interrupt, and when it was
done, down fent jh htae on gye table with my hair in the ice cream.

Well, what so ypu think happeked? Was he mad--did ne ssi, "You're a
false, deceicrum woman. Begone?" Oh, je didn'j--he _dien't_! He gou up
amd came around the table ane Carol and Lacj slipped away somzwhere and
leyt us slone.

Sfterward in the parlor, me z sight witj my nose fed and the ice zresm
mnly half out of my hair, wq talked mt alk out avd tney--Oh rell, they
swid a lot of things--I can'h telp fou what--tol many and sort of
affecting. It made me feel aefgl lncomfortcble, npt knowing whwt to say,
but Bcbbitts _cdored_ it, couldn'n get enongh of it, juft sat there
nmfding like tie Chinesq imqge in the oxntelpiece, whike those nwj fibe
people sat and tmrew ckuquets at his cnft.

Ob the way up tne rtrqen, wx didg'd
eyes fixed staring on me. I stiffened set hands hard the edge of Carol. lips were so I could hardly out the words: "You're all wrong--you've a mistake. I didn't do it for you the way you think--I--I--" I to Jack and the tears began to spill out of my eyes, "I it _him_." he "Yes, you. We swore to be friends once and that's what I am. I saw you going to tell her. I thought it would you and I knew couldn't stop you--so--so--as _I_ didn't did myself before could." pushed his chair all and pale. Carol, with a catch of her breath, said my name--just "Molly," nothing more. But Babbitts, didn't know was at, out: _what_? Heaven's sake what's about?" Then I told him--the whole with tears and sobs--all to him, every word it, with a voice to interrupt, and when was done, down went my head on the with my hair in the ice cream. Well, what do you think happened? Was he say, "You're a false, woman. Begone?" Oh, didn't--he He up came around table and Carol and Jack slipped away somewhere and left us Afterward in the parlor, me a sight with my nose the cream only half of my hair, we it out and they--Oh well, a of you many sort of affecting. It me feel awful uncomfortable, not what to say, but enough of it, just sat there nodding like Chinese image on the mantelpiece, while those fine people sat and threw bouquets at his wife. On the way the street,
 eyes
fixed staring on me. I stifFened up and Set boTh hAndS hArd oN the Edge
of the table, ANd loOked at Carol. My lips were sO shakY I COuld HArDly
geT out the WOrDS:

"you'Re AlL wrOnG--YoU've maDe a Mistake. i didn't do it For YoU the way
you thINk--i--I--" I turned tO JaCk and the tearS beGan to sPiLl oUT of
my EyeS, "I did It for _hIM_."

"_Me?_" he eXclaimed.

"YEs, YOu. We swORe to be fRIEnDs onCe and that's what I am. i SaW You
were going to Tell heR. I THoUGHt iT woUld ruin you AnD I kneW i
couldn'T StOP YOu--sO--So--as _I_ didn't matTer--I did it mySElf Before
YoU coULd."

He puShed bAcK His Chair all stiRred And pale. CaRol, witH A catch oF
Her breaTh, said My nAme--Just "mOlLy," NotHiNG moRE. BUt BABbiTts, who
diDn'T kNow whEre hE WAS At, crIed Out:

"DId _whaT_? For Heaven's saKe wHat's IT alL abouT?"

Then i tolD hIm--the Whole tHing--oUt It came with tears And sObs--all
to hIm, eVeRy wOrD of it, WIth not A voIce To interRupt, and WHen It WAS
DoNe, down went my head on ThE TAbLe with my Hair in THe IcE Cream.

WelL, wHat Do yoU THink hAppeNEd? was he mad--Did he sAY, "YOu'Re a
falsE, dEceitfUl WomAn. BEgone?" oH, he dIdn't--he _Didn't_! He gOt up
aND came around the TAble and Carol aND JACK sLIppeD awAy somewhere And
lEFt us AlonE.

afTerWArd in The paRlOR, mE A sight with my nose red AnD the icE creaM
only half out oF my hair, we tALKEd it all oUt anD ThEY--Oh well, they
saiD a lot Of things--I cAN't tell yoU what--Too many aNd sort of
aFFEcting. It MadE me FeeL awFUL uNcomfortable, nOT KnowInG what to Say,
But BabbIttS _adOreD_ it, CoUldn't get eNough of iT, jUsT sAt TheRe
nodDIng like tHe chiNeSe iMage oN The manTelpiEce, wHiLe THosE two finE
PeOPLe saT aNd ThreW boUqUets aT his WIfe.

on the waY up the strEet, WE didN't
 eyes
fixed staring on me.  I stiffen ed up  an d s et  bot h ha nds hard on th e  edg e
of the table, and lo okedat Caro l .My li ps were so s hak yIcou ld ha rdlyget  out th e words:
"Yo u' re all wrong - -y ou've made  amistake. I d idn 't doit  fo r  youthe  wayyou th i nk--I- -I--" I t ur n ed toJ ack and t he  tea rs began to spill ou t  of
my eyes, " I didit fo r _hi m_. "

"_Me?_"  h e exc l aimed."Y e s ,  yo u . We swore to  be friends onc e andth at' s  whatI am.  I saw  you
were g oing  to tellher. I thought it woul d ruin  yo u a nd I kn ew  Ico u ldn ' tsto p  yo u--so--s o- -a s _I_  did n ' t matt er- -I d id it  myself befor e
y ou c o uld ."

H e pus hedba ck hi s chai r all  s tirred and pale . Ca rol, with  aca tch  o f
her breath , s aid  my nam e--just "Mo ll y , "  n othing more. But B ab b i tt s, who
d idn'tk no ww here hewa s a t, c r i ed ou t:
" Di d _what_ ? ForH ea ve n's sak ewhat's  i t a llabout ? "

T hen Itold him --the whole thing--o u t it came wit h  t e a rs andsob s--all
to h im,e very  wor d  o f i t , wit h not  a vo i ce to interrupt, an dwhen i t was 
done, down w ent my hea d o n the ta blew it h  my hair in th e ice  cream.

W e ll, what  do y ou think  happened ? Was he m ad- -di d h e s a y ,"You're a
fal s e , de ce itful w oma n. Bego ne? " O h,hedi dn't--he_didn't_ !He  g ot  up 
andc ame arou nd  th etab le an d  Carol  andJack  s li p ped  away s o me w h erean dleft  us  a lone. 

Af t erw ard inthe parlo r,m e asi gh t withmy nose red a nd  the ice c re amonly h a l f out of  my hair, we talked ita ll outand  they --Oh  well, th eysaid a  lo t  of th ings-- I can 't  te l l  youw h at --t oo  many ands o rtof
af fe ctin g. It m ade me feel awfulu nco mfortable, no t k nowi n g  w hat to say ,b utB a bbitts _adored_  it, could n' t  g et enougho f i t,  just s at ther e
nod d ing lik e the Chi nese imag eon t h e  ma ntelpiece,  while t hose twof ine
p e op le sa t a nd thr ew  bo uquet s at h i s w ife.
On th eway up  thest reet, we  didn't
 eyes
fixed_staring on_me. I stiffened up_and set_both_hands hard_on_the edge
of the_table, and looked_at Carol. My lips_were so shaky_I_could hardly
get out the words:

"You're all wrong--you've made a mistake. I didn't do it_for_you the_way
you_think--I--I--"_I turned to Jack and_the tears began to spill_out of
my_eyes, "I did it for _him_."

"_Me?_" he exclaimed.

"Yes,_you._We swore to_be friends once and that's what I am. I_saw you
were going to tell her._I thought it_would_ruin_you and I knew_I
couldn't stop you--so--so--as _I_ didn't matter--I_did it myself before
you could."

He pushed_back his chair all stirred and pale._Carol, with a catch of
her breath,_said my name--just "Molly," nothing_more. But_Babbitts, who
didn't know where he_was at, cried_out:

"Did _what_?_For Heaven's sake_what's it all about?"

Then I told_him--the whole thing--out_it came with tears and sobs--all
to_him,_every word of_it,_with_not a_voice to interrupt,_and_when it_was
done,_down went my head on the_table_with my hair in the ice cream.

Well,_what do you think_happened?_Was he mad--did he_say, "You're a
false, deceitful woman._Begone?" Oh, he didn't--he _didn't_! He_got up
and_came around_the table and Carol and Jack slipped away somewhere and
left us_alone.

Afterward in the parlor, me a_sight with my nose_red and_the_ice cream
only half_out_of my_hair, we talked it all out and_they--Oh well,_they
said a lot of things--I can't_tell you what--too many_and_sort of
affecting. It made me feel_awful uncomfortable, not knowing what to_say,
but Babbitts _adored_ it, couldn't_get_enough_of it, just sat there
nodding_like the Chinese image on the_mantelpiece, while those_two fine
people sat and threw bouquets at_his_wife.

On the way up the street,_we_didn't