Chapter 8 - Page 2

projected itself into her junior's fate that at such
moments she seemed to be living two lives, her own and Evelina's;
and her private longings shrank into silence at the sight of the
other's hungry bliss. But it was evident that Evelina, never
acutely alive to the emotional atmosphere about her, had no idea
that her secret was suspected; and with an assumption of unconcern
that would have made Ann Eliza smile if the pang had been less
piercing, the younger sister prepared to confess herself.

"What are you so busy about?" she said impatiently, as Ann
Eliza, beneath the gas-jet, fumbled for the matches. "Ain't you
even got time to ask me if I'd had a pleasant day?"

Ann Eliza turned with a quiet smile. "I guess I don't have
to. Seems to me it's pretty plain you have."

"Well, I don't know. I don't know HOW I feel--
it's all so queer. I almost think I'd like to scream."

"I guess you're tired."

"No, I ain't. It's not that. But it all happened so
suddenly, and the boat was so crowded I thought everybody'd hear
what he was saying.--Ann Eliza," she broke out, "why on earth don't
you ask me what I'm talking about?"

Ann Eliza, with a last effort of heroism, feigned a fond
incomprehension.

"What ARE you?"

"Why, I'm engaged to be married--so there! Now it's out! And
it happened right on the boat; only to think of it! Of course I
wasn't exactly surprised--I've known right along he was going to
sooner or later--on'y somehow I didn't think of its happening to-
day. I thought he'd never get up his courage. He said he was so
'fraid I'd say no--that's what kep' him so long from asking me.
Well, I ain't said yes YET--leastways I told him I'd have to
think it over; but I guess he knows. Oh, Ann Eliza, I'm so happy!"
She hid the blinding brightness of her face.

Ann Eliza, just then, would only let herself feel that she was
glad. She drew down Evelina's hands and kissed her, and they held
each other. When Evelina regained her voice she had a tale to tell
which carried their vigil far into the night. Not a syllable, not
a glance or gesture of Ramy's, was the elder sister spared; and
with unconscious irony she found herself comparing the details of
his proposal to her with those which Evelina was imparting with
merciless prolixity.

The next few days were taken up with the embarrassed
adjustment of their new relation to Mr. Ramy and to each other.
Ann Eliza's ardour carried her to new heights of self-effacement,
and she invented late duties in the shop in order to leave Evelina
and her suitor longer alone in the back room. Later on, when she
tried to remember the details of those first days, few came back to
her: she knew only that she got up each morning