“She’s sick, an’ the baby’s ailin’, an’ she can’t get any help over there. I got a card in the morning’s mail asking me please to come, so I’m going over there this evenin’. I wouldn’t be s’prised if I was away for a couple of months. An’ Mis’ Bixby’s leavin’--” “When does she go?” Julie demanded. “She’s leavin’ on the night train. She’s going back to her home in Lynchburg for a spell, and later maybe she’ll go to be near Camp Lee. She says she’ll not go ’til they kind of get Mr. Bixby licked into shape. She says she’ll be so ashamed of him at first. I think she’s layin’ off to have a right good time. Ain’t that just like the woman? But you’re goin’ to be all alone ’til I come back, Julie. You better see to gettin’ somebody to stay with you.” “Oh, I’ll be all right,” Julie evaded. So the life that had informed Julie’s small establishment for the last few weeks fell suddenly all to pieces. Mr. Bixby had gone. Aunt Sadie left with her son-in-law in the afternoon, and Elizabeth took the night train. She came in before she went to say good-bye to Julie. She was dressed elaborately for her journey, and was in high spirits. “My! But I’m glad to be out of this rotten little town,” she announced. “There ain’t anything I can do for Tim,” she went on, “so I might just as well fly ’round an’ enjoy myself.” Here the car came which she had ordered to take her to the station, and in the expansiveness of leave-taking she attempted to kiss Julie, but Julie started back involuntarily. “What’s the matter? Did you think I was goin’ to bite you?” Elizabeth demanded. “No, no--I--” “Oh, all right. Goodness knows I don’t want to kiss a person that don’t want to kiss me. Well, I’m gone.”