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He pressed his mouth to hers again and kissed her。 She felt his hands inside her robe； his fingers on her back unfastening her brassière； her breasts rising from their restraint； the nipples leaping joyfully into his hands。 A shiver of ecstasy raced through her and she almost fell。 〃Please don't；〃 she whispered； her lips moving under his。 〃It's wrong。〃
He picked her up in his arms and carried her across the room to the bed。 He placed her on it gently and knelt beside her。 〃When a man and a woman are in love；〃 he whispered； 〃nothing they do in the privacy of their own home is ever wrong。 And this is our home。〃
He pressed his lips down on her mouth again。
Tom looked across the table at the kitchen clock。 It was a few minutes past ten。 He folded his newspaper。 〃I guess she won't be ing now；〃 he said； 〃so I might as well be turning in。〃 He got to his feet。 〃The boys down at the Alliance tell me I'll be making supervisor any day now； so I better get my sleep。 It won't do for me to be showing up late to work。〃
Ellen sniffed contemptuously。 〃If ye keep listenin' to them munists down at the Workers' Alliance； you'll be lucky even to hold your job with the WPA。〃
〃They're in pretty good； you can't deny that。 It was them that got me onto full time instead of half time and you know it。 It's them that's for the working man。〃
〃munists are heathens；〃 she said。 〃Father Hadley told me they're against the church because they don't believe in God。 He says they're only playing up to the workin' man until they get in power； like in Russia。 Then they'll close the churches and make slaves out of us all。〃
〃What if they are？〃 he asked。 〃I don't see Father Hadley getting me a job or paying our bills。 No； it was the Alliance that put me to work and saw to it I earned enough to pay rent and buy food。 I don't care what Father Hadley calls them； as long as they do good for me。〃
She smiled bitterly。 〃A fine family I have。 A husband who's a munist and a daughter who never has the time to e home。〃
〃Maybe she's busy；〃 Tom said lamely。 〃You know it's a responsible position she's got。 Didn't the sister at St。 Mary's say； when she graduated； that she was very lucky to be working for such an important doctor？〃
〃Yes； but she still should e home once in a while。 I'm willin' to bet she hasn't been to Mass since she left St。 Mary's。〃
〃How do you know？〃 Tom asked angrily。 〃St。 Paul's ain't the only church in San Francisco。〃
〃I know；〃 she said。 〃I feel it。 She doesn't want to e see us。 She's makin' so much money now； she's ashamed of us。〃
〃And what has she got to be proud of？ With you preaching religion at her all the time and the boys on the street still sniggering and laughing behind her back when she walks by？ Do you think that's something to make a young girl want to e home？〃
Ellen ignored him。 〃It's not right that a girl should stay away like this；〃 she said stubbornly。 〃We both know what goes on up there on the hill； with everybody sleepin' with each other's wives and the drink。 I read the papers； too； ye know。〃
〃Jennie's a good girl。 She wouldn't do a thing like that。〃
〃I'm not too sure。 Sometimes a taste of temptation is like a spoonful of honey。 Just enough to sweeten your tongue but not enough to fill your whole mouth。 And we both know she's tasted temptation。〃
〃You still don't believe her； do you？〃 he asked bitterly。 〃You'd rather take the word of those two hoodlums than your own daughter。〃
〃Then why didn't she go into court？ If there wasn't just a little truth in what they said； she wouldn't have been afraid。 But no； she takes the thousand dollars and lets herself be labeled a whore。〃
〃You know as well as I why she didn't；〃 Tom answered。 〃And you can thank your church for it。 They'd not even e into court to say she was a good girl。 No； they were afraid the boys' parents might not like it and cut off their weekly contributions。〃
〃The church sent her to college。 And they found her this job。 They did their duty。〃
〃Then what are you plaining about？〃
She sat there quietly for a moment； listening to him drop his shoes angrily to the floor as he undressed in the bedroom。 Then she got out of the chair and felt the hot…water heater。 A hot bath would soothe her aches and pains a little； all this damp fall weather was bringing out her arthritis。 She took a match and kneeled down beside the heater。 Striking the match； she turned the pet cock。 The flame caught for a moment； then died out in a tiny yellow circle。 She looked up at the meter。 They were out of gas。 The red flag was up。 She got to her feet and walked over to her pocketbook。 She opened the small change purse and searched through it。 She had no quarters； only nickels and dimes。 For a moment； she thought of asking Tom for a quarter； then shrugged her shoulders。 She'd had enough of his blasphemous tongue。 She'd do without her bath。 She could take it in the morning； when she came back from Mass。 She went into the bathroom and used the last of the hot water to wash her face。 Tom was standing in the kitchen when she came out； his chest bare above his trousers。 She swept by him silently and closed the bedroom door behind her。
Tom went into the bathroom and washed up noisily。 Suddenly； the water went cold。 He swore and dried himself quickly； then fished in his pocket for a quarter。 He reached up and put the quarter into the meter； then watched the red on the dial disappear。 He nodded； satisfied。
In the morning； he'd turn on the heater and in a few minutes； he'd have enough hot water for his shave。 He went into the bedroom； leaving the door open behind him； unaware of the slight hiss ing from under the heater。
He draped his pants on the chair and sat down on the bed。 After a moment； he stretched out with a sigh。 His shoulder touched Ellen and he felt her turn away。
Ah； the hell with her； he thought； turning on his side； his back to her。 Maybe the mies were right with their ideas of free love。 At least a man wouldn't have to put up with a woman like her。
His eyes began to feel heavy。 He could hear the soft； even sounds of her breath。 She was asleep already。 He smiled to himself in the dark。 With free love； he'd have his pick of women。 She'd act different then； all right。 His eyelids drooped and closed and he joined his wife in slumber。 And death。
Jennie sat up in the bed； clutching the sheet to her naked body and staring with wide； frightened eyes at the woman who stood in the doorway。 On the other side of the bed； Bob was already hurriedly buttoning his shirt。
〃Did you think he'd leave me for you？〃 she screamed at Jennie。 〃Did you think you were the first？ Hasn't he told you how many times I've caught him like this？〃 Her voice grew contemptuous。 〃Or do you think he's really in love with you？〃
Jennie didn't answer。
〃Tell her； Robert；〃 his wife said angrily。 〃Tell her you wanted to make love to me tonight and when I refused； you came running over here。 Tell her。〃
Jennie stared at him。 His face was white and he didn't look in her direction。 He grabbed his coat from the chair and walked over to his wife。 〃You're all upset。 Let me take you home。〃
Home。 Jennie felt a sick feeling in her stomach。 This was home … his and hers。 He had said so。 It was here they had loved； here they had been together。 But he was talking about someplace else。 Another place。
〃I'm always upset； aren't I； Robert？ Every time you promise it will never happen again。 But I know better； don't I？ All right；〃 she said suddenly； her voice hard and cold。 〃We'll go。 But not until you tell her。〃
〃Please； dear；〃 he said quickly。 〃Another time。 Not now。〃
〃Now； Robert；〃 she said coldly。 〃Now … or the whole world will know about Dr。 Grant； the quack； the abortionist； the great lover。〃
He turned and looked back at Jennie on the bed。 〃You'll have to leave； Miss Denton；〃 he said huskily。 〃You see； I don't love you；〃 he said in a strained voice。 〃I love my wife。〃
And almost at the same moment that the door closed behind him； there was an explosion in an old tenement on the other side of the city。 After the firemen pulled the charred bodies from the fire； they gave their verdict。 The victims had been fortunate。 They were already dead before the fire started。
9
CHARLES STANDHURST WAS EIGHTY…ONE YEARS OLD WHEN HE MET JENNIE DENTON。 It was eight o'clock of a spring morning in 1936 and he was in the operating room of the Colton Sanitarium at Santa Monica。 He was the patient just being placed on the operating table and she was acting as Chief Nurse in Surgery。
He felt them place his legs over the stirrups and quickly arrange a sheet so that even if he moved his head； he could not see his lower half。 When they had finished； he saw her e from somewhere behind him and walk down to the foot of the table。 She lifted up the sheet。
He felt a moment's embarrassment at the impersonal manner in which she scrutinized his private parts。 After five wives； countless mistresses and more than forty children that he was sure about； only eight of whom were the result of his marriages； it seemed strange to him that anyone could look at him in such a detached manner。 So much life had sprung from that fountain。
She let the covering fall around him again and