for men of devil, Emmy's face hardened.

"You be careful, my girl," she prophesied with a warning glance of
anger. "If that's the kind you're after. Take care you're not left!"

"Oh, I can take care," Jenny said, with cold nonchalance. "Trust me!"


vii

Later, when they were both in the chilly scullery, washing up the supper
dishes, they were again constrained. Somehow when they were alone
together they could not quarrel: it needed the presence of Pa Blanchard
to stimulate them to retort. In his rambling silences they found the
spur for their unkind eloquence, and too often Pa was used as a
stalking-horse for their angers. He could hardly hear, and could not
follow the talk; but by directing a remark to him, so that it cannoned
off at the other, each obtained satisfaction for the rivalry that
endured from day to day between them. Their hungry hearts, all the
latent bitternesses in their natures, yearning for expression, found it
in his presence. But alone, whatever their angers, they were generally
silent. It may have been that their love was strong, or that their
courage failed, or that the energy required for conflict was not
aroused. That they deeply loved one another was sure; there was rivalry,
jealousy, irritation between them, but it did not affect their love.
The jealousy was a part of their general discontent--a jealousy that
would grow more intense as each remained frustrate and unhappy. Neither
understood the forces at work within herself; each saw these perversely
illustrated in the other's faults. In each case the cause of unhappiness
was unsatisfied love, unsatisfied craving for love. It was more acute in