"I will!" Norma agreed. She had been feeling neglected and lonely, and this unexpected friendliness was heartwarming. "You've been a real comfort," Annie said, good-naturedly. "You're such a sensible child, Norma. I hope one of these days--afterward"--and Annie faintly indicated with her eyebrows the direction of the front room from which the funeral procession would start to-morrow--"afterward, that you'll let us know your husband better. And now it's long past midnight, girls, and you ought to be in bed!" It was mere casual civility on Annie's part, as accidental as had been her casual unkindness a few hours before. But it lifted Norma's heart, and she went out into the hall in a softer frame of mind than she had known for a long time. She managed another word with Chris before going to her room for almost nine hours of reviving and restoring sleep. "Chris, I feel terribly about breaking this news to Aunt Annie and Leslie while they feel so badly about Aunt Alice and Aunt Marianna!" she said. Again Chris gave the hallway, where she had met him, a quick, uneasy scrutiny before he answered her: "Well, of course! But it can't be helped." "But do you think that we could put it off until Wednesday, Chris, when the will is to be read? Everyone will be here then, and it would seem a good time to do it!" "Yes," he consented, after a moment's thought, "I think that is a good idea!" And so they left it. CHAPTER XXXIV Regina roused Norma just in time for the long, wearisome ceremonials of the following day, a cold, bright gusty day, when the wet streets flashed back sombre reflections of the motor wheels, and the newly turned earth oozed flashing drops of water. The cortège left the old Melrose house at ten minutes before ten o'clock, and it was four before the tired, headachy, cramped members of the immediate family group regathered there, to discard the crape-smothered hats, and the odorous, sombre furs, and to talk quietly together as they sipped hot soup and crumbled rolls. Everything had been changed, the flowers were gone, furniture was back in place, and the upper front room had been opened widely to the suddenly spring-like afternoon. There was not a fallen violet petal to remind her descendants that the old mistress of forty full years was gone for ever.