The swift color made her face lovely as she spoke, and with the words
she turned away and went quickly into the house. The young man looked
after her and dared not follow. He had never had a shock like that in
his life. Girls had talked about everything under heaven to him at one
time or another, but they had never mentioned God except profanely.
Marilyn went swiftly up to her room and knelt down by her bed, burying
her hot cheeks in the cool pillow and trying to pray. She was glad,
glad that she had spoken for her poor city children, glad that there
was a prospect or help perhaps; but beside and beyond it all her heart
was crying out for another matter that was namelessly tugging away at
the very foundations of her soul. Why, Oh Why had Mark gone away
with that queer girl? He must have seen what she was! He must have
known that it was unnecessary! He must have known how it would hurt his
friends, and that the man she came to see could have gone as well as he
and better. Why did he go? She would not, she could not believe
anything wrong of Mark. Yet why did he go?