Anywhen (23 page)

The worst of it was, in like circumstances he could never have done it. He was afraid of blood, especially his own.

“Jeanette …
why
did you do it?”

She was silent a long time. At last she said: “Do you believe in God?”

“Of course not!” he said indignantly. “Do you?”

“I don’t know whether I do or not. But there’s one thing I was sure of, right from the start: You’d be a damn poor substitute.”