"That's better," she said.

Then Julia was modern enough to ask without preliminary that question
which had asked in Mrs. Amber's elderly heart all day.

"Marie, are you going to have a baby?"

Marie could not have been more confused and confounded.

"I!" she stammered. "Have a baby! I never thought of such a thing!"

"It's not an unknown event," said Julia; "it has been done before.
Think!"

Marie thought.

"Julia," she whispered, hushed, "perhaps--"

"You must know--or you can make a good guess."

Marie began to tremble. "I've been feeling so simply awful; I couldn't
think what was the matter with me, but I--I believe you may be right.
I shouldn't be surprised--"

Julia drew at her cigarette savagely; tears were in her eyes;
something hurt her and she resented it.

"Shall you be pleased?" she asked.

"Pleased? I--don't--know."