How could they have so many stores?  Why!  There was one just for tobacco alone, and one (a lovely one—­the Art Shoppy it was) for pictures and vases and stuff, with oh, the dandiest vase made so it looked just like a tree trunk!

Bea stood on the corner of Main Street and Washington Avenue.  The roar of the city began to frighten her.  There were five automobiles on the street all at the same time—­and one of ’em was a great big car that must of cost two thousand dollars—­and the ’bus was starting for a train with five elegant-dressed fellows, and a man was pasting up red bills with lovely pictures of washing-machines on them, and the jeweler was laying out bracelets and wrist-watches and everything on real velvet.

What did she care if she got six dollars a week?  Or two!  It was worth while working for nothing, to be allowed to stay here.  And think how it would be in the evening, all lighted up—­and not with no lamps, but with electrics!  And maybe a gentleman friend taking you to the movies and buying you a strawberry ice cream soda!

Bea trudged back.

“Vell?  You lak it?” said Tina.

“Ya.  Ay lak it.  Ay t’ink maybe Ay stay here,” said Bea.

IV

The recently built house of Sam Clark, in which was given the party to welcome Carol, was one of the largest in Gopher Prairie.  It had a clean sweep of clapboards, a solid squareness, a small tower, and a large screened porch.  Inside, it was as shiny, as hard, and as cheerful as a new oak upright piano.

Carol looked imploringly at Sam Clark as he rolled to the door and shouted, “Welcome, little lady!  The keys of the city are yourn!”

Beyond him, in the hallway and the living-room, sitting in a vast prim circle as though they were attending a funeral, she saw the guests.  They were waiting so!  They were waiting for her!  The determination to be all one pretty flowerlet of appreciation leaked away.  She begged of Sam, “I don’t dare face them!  They expect so much.  They’ll swallow me in one mouthful—­glump!—­like that!”

“Why, sister, they’re going to love you—­same as I would if I didn’t think the doc here would beat me up!”

“B-but——­I don’t dare!  Faces to the right of me, faces in front of me, volley and wonder!”

She sounded hysterical to herself; she fancied that to Sam Clark she sounded insane.  But he chuckled, “Now you just cuddle under Sam’s wing, and if anybody rubbers at you too long, I’ll shoo ’em off.  Here we go!  Watch my smoke—­Sam’l, the ladies’ delight and the bridegrooms’ terror!”

His arm about her, he led her in and bawled, “Ladies and worser halves, the bride!  We won’t introduce her round yet, because she’ll never get your bum names straight anyway.  Now bust up this star-chamber!”

They tittered politely, but they did not move from the social security of their circle, and they did not cease staring.