he petty round of irritating concerns and duties" of life. They appeared always to be dining or lunching out. One met them in the various restaurants at all hours,

opies of those classic receptacles utilized as relief stations by old Romans who had wined too well-are concrete reminders of his sense of humour. I have seen more women in Chicago un

his wife during a former engagement. The wife expressed herself as "strong for" Will. Scarcely a day passed without a telephone message or a call from Mrs. Pease. She would drop in at the most inopportune

. She flirted outrageously with Will and made me feel like the person in the song, "Always in the way." In fact I came to the conclusion that wherever we went I was accepted as a necessary evil-among the women. There was always a "pairing off" after dinner or

ll to a certainty just what a man is going to say under certain conditions. How can any one be flattered by the saccharine platitudes w

had a genial raillery which made it almost impossible to take him seriously. I did not know whether it was a part of the treatment to unbare my throat and shoulders and sound my lungs and to let his hand linger on the uncovered flesh, but I didn't like it. Neit

ar to pick up Will, and return him in time for the evening performance. I told Will I did not want to go, giving the excuse that my throat was still sore. Mrs. Pease answered that the doctor said the air would do me good

bundled me into my great fur coat and insisted upon my wearing a fur cap his wife had sent me. He cautioned me to wrap up well,

ing look. "I was detained at the office and told them not to

me in with a good deal of care. As he seated himself at the wheel and drew on his gloves he smiled at me and asked whether I was timid. He said he m

untry roads. After he had "let her out a bit" and showed me what she could do, he slowed up and turned to me with a little laugh, "That's going some,

ctor's glances made me uncomfortable. "You look like a rosy-cheeked boy," he sai

iced another motor under the shed. I hoped it might belong to other members of the party. The doctor made straight for the shed. Wh

me and, seizing me from behind, lifted me in his arms. Not even the presence of the men shovelling snow prevented. My first impulse was to free myself, and I believe I adm

ibrium to receive him frostily. My dignity was lost on him. He pulled up a great armchair in front of the roaring fire and bade me drink the hot scotch the waite

hem in mock-serious

our party, eh? You sneaked off by yourselves. I didn't think anybody but

her d

you?" It was the woman who spoke.... "Who've

e doctor. "Come over and meet her. I thin

ad their own topic of conversation. It revolved chiefly around the tenth commandment. In fact, one might conclude with perfect assurance that the seventh and the last of the commandments are the

r's bloodshot eyes made me wish we, too, had one. The cold air, happily, set him right. He drove more carefull

uncture and have gone back to town for repairs. What do you say?" He appeared to be turnin

d without too much emphasis.

I was glad I could not see his eyes. The car shot ahead. For the next half hour I had a bewildering sense of flying over the snow-clad earth, coming now and then in contact with it as the car struck

in. By the time I had taken off my wraps the doctor joined me. There was a general noisy greeting when we entered the great hall. Nearly all of the women I had m

t Mr. Hartley," volunteered some

before dinner. Judging from the spirits of the company there had been a few before we arrived. When I heard that Mrs. Pease herself was driving the car in which she had gone to fetch Will, I had visio

in you

eloped or got lock

doctor, who had risen and grasped Will's

ne. I recognized the person who had reproved Will aft

was served Will rai

you; you look tired," he

ttle blonde lady on the left.) He turned enquiringly to his wife's bleat. "You're neglecting your

"Never mind-I'm the doctor." For the r

table. Two of them proved to be the couple we had met at th

t but one. "It's Sid!-and I'm supposed t

nyway, where you can't go out without running into your own husband. Doc, who's

he doctor, "neither of you ha

s. "Dear old pain-k

le and the doctor joined the other party.

nterrupted, not giving me

she said in an

he said to her sotto voce, "Heada

trace of the anger which illuminated her bleary eyes when she t

t her husband and when? I told her I didn't recall-that he was probab

e hoggers" when once they started. I presume they labour under the impression that it is sporty or that it pleases the men "to go them one better." Ever since Eve

is eye and he understood my message. He looked at his watch and jumped to his feet. "Doc, what's

answered the doctor

in," called th

utely, thanked heaven. I am sure the doctor realized that his wife

eus and rose

and behave herself." In vain I expostulated that I must go back to the baby. "Never mind the kiddie; he's asleep and don'

of the draughty doorway. "There's no room in the car and we're goi

don't. You can telephone to the hotel if you're anxious about

be late?"

y. I'm not on until after the rise, and if

or was already at the wheel.

home, even if it were only a hotel room. Home was where Boy was. I had a wild impulse of stealing out u

room had joined us before the return of the doctor. There was another round of liqueurs and at last someone moved to break up. "Sid's" wife, whose tongue was getti

sight?" she exclaimed, scanning her reflection in the mirror. "That's the worst of booze; it makes me white around the gills." She daubed on a bit of rouge and

going home yet; you're g

rtley wouldn't approve, I kno

and leave a note at the theatre.... Doc! Doc! C

ease called to him. "Say, look here! Mrs. H. thinks

t mean-"

fix it up with hi

ay, and why not be sociable? He told me to tell you to be a good little sport and wait for him." He laid

n't mi

my husband say he e

o don't know their capacity," Mrs. Pease continued, working on her complexion. "You're a wise little gazabo to go slow on the fizz. I watched you to-night, and the way you manipulated the glasses was a scream.... Do you kn

s and wives pairing off with and showing their preference for someone els

k and land me with some broken bones, if nothing more. I was smarting under Will's obvious lack of consideration; He knew the atmosphere was not a congenial one, yet he sacrificed me to it without hesitation. I wanted with all my heart to have him

him how I felt. After that, if he were still blind to the dangers which threatened our life-no, I would not dwell on such a contingency. I felt sure Will would see things at their true valuation. For the first time that day I settled back to something approaching a state of composure. One

that we had slowed up. Coincidentally the car came to a

wrong?" I

d to make sure th

e robe about me from behind. With his free hand

from those luscious lips-i

en he raised his head it was only to look at me and breathing hard again to fasten himself upon me with a fiercer tremor which shook his whole frame.... Only once or twice in all our married life had Will kissed me like that. I had believed it an expression of purest love. I realized now that it connoted

ruggling to express what my lips refused to say.... "O ... O...."

tenderly, endeavouring to soothe me. "Right? Little boy, who the devil c

o you think it's

st have pierced him, for he releas

ssion has it thrown at him from all sides. You don't think he turns 'em all down, do you? You've got too much sense for that.... Come on, now ... let's understand each other.... You're a

*

it in a heap upon the floor. I don't know how long I stood contemplating space.... Then I heard him cross the room and pick up the coat. I felt his eyes fastened upon me. I roused mys

r capacity.... You're not a tank like the rest of the crowd.... Look a

ed to tell him that in all, during the entire day, I had taken only one glass of champagne-and that at his request.... Then I stopped. I did not dare to trust myself.... I knew he would laugh and pet me and say he had not meant to criticize and then he would take me in his arms ... and I would cry it all out upon his heart.... I would tell him the whole miserable experience ... and he ... what would he do? If he called the doctor to account there w

*