There was a curious pallor came over Miss Samstag's face, as if smeared
there by a hand.

"Asked you what?"

"Alma, it don't mean I'm not true to your father as I was the day I
buried him in that blizzard back there, but could you ask for a finer,
steadier man than Louis Latz? It looks out of his face."

"Mamma, you--What--are you saying?"

"Alma?"

There lay a silence between them that took on the roar of a simoon and
Miss Samstag jumped then from her mother's embrace, her little face
stiff with the clench of her mouth.

"Mamma--you--No--no! Oh, mamma--oh--!"

A quick spout of hysteria seemed to half strangle Mrs. Samstag so that
she slanted backward, holding her throat.

"I knew it. My own child against me. O God! Why was I born? My own child
against me!"

"Mamma--you can't marry him. You can't marry--anybody."

"Why can't I marry anybody? Must I be afraid to tell my own child when
a good man wants to marry me and give us both a good home? That's my
thanks for making my child my first consideration--before I accepted