The San Francisco call., 1904-12-11

hateful still, but showed him not neg
hgible.. He could not be put on one
side, discarded, eliminated from her
life. He was too big for that
tention and constrained her interest.
The thought Of what lay beneath his
suave demeanor sometimes appalled,,
sometimes amused and always fasci-
mated her now. She saw that her old
conception had erred. 1t had been
too negative in character; what he
could not do or be or give had seemed
the whole of the matter to her. In
the light of the revelation this was
wrong. The positive-a very consid-
cradle positive-must be taken into
account. The pride she had loathed
was not a barren self-conceit. nor
merely sterile self-engrossment. 1t
had issue in an assurance almost su-
pernatural and a courage above NOR
ality. Sibylla's first relief came in the
reflection that, though she might have
married monster. at least she had
not given herself to stick or stone;
she was clear as to her preferment
when the choice was reduced to that
alternative.
His behavior appealed to her hu-
NOR, too-that humor which could not
save her from running away with
Blake under the spell of her ideas,
but would certainly have made her
want to run away from him when the
glamour of the ideas had worn off.
The old perfection OF manner found
a new ornament in his easy ignorins
of the whole affair. He referred to it
once only, then indirectly and because
he had reason. He suggested apollo
getically that 1t would be we'll for
them TO exchange remarks more freely
when the servants were waiting on
them at meals.
1T will prevent comment on recent
events" he added, as though that were
his only reason.
Sybilla was deceived at first, but
presently detected another and more
important motive. The suggestion
marked the beginning of a new cam
paign on which his inexhaustible per-
severance engaged. He understood that
his wife accused him of not taking her
into his confidence and of not making
her partner In his life. He was no
more minded than before that she
should have even plausible grounds for
complaint Starting, then, from gen.
eral topics and subjects arising out of
the journals OF the day, he slid placidly
and dexterously into frequent discus
sions Of his own plans and doings, his
business, his work on the County Coun-
ell, his Parliamentary ambitions his
schemes for improving the property at
Milldean. Sibylla acknowledged the
cleyernesS of these tactics with rue
full smile. She had claimed to share
his life; yet more of these topics hap
pened to seem TO her rather tedious.
But she was debarred from saying that
Gus. She was often bored, but she was
amused that boredom should be the
first result Of the new method
Il hope all this interests you?"
Grantley would inquire politely.
'Of course, since it concerns you,"
equal polteness obliged her to reply
and not politeness only. She had to be
interested; it had been her theory that
she would be, her grievance that she
had been denied the opportunity of be-
ing. Nor could she make out whether
Grantley had any inkling of her sup
pressed Indifference to the County
Council and $50 forth. Was he exef-
cising nhis humor, too? She could
not tell but curiosity and an5usemeht
tempered the coldness of her @purtesy.
They got on really very welI<at din
were IN thereon; there was sometimes
an awkward pause just after they were
left alone. But on the whole the itrid-
ing daily intercourse went better than
before Sibylla's fiight-went indeed
fairly we'll, as it can generally be made
to If people are well bred and mod
erately humorous.
The great quarrel remained untouch-
ed, no span bridged the great chasm.
Grantley might consent to talk about
his County Council; that was merely
a polite Concession, involving no admis-
sion of guilt and acknowledging no
such wrong to his wife as could for a
moment justify her action. When it
came to deeper matters he was afflicted
4, -.
seemed to paralyze him. To gloss over
the absence Of love, or even of friend
ship, was task at which he was apt
and tactful; to gain it back was work
of the heart-and here he was as yet
at a standstill. His instinct had told
him to work through the child. But
if he caressed the child in order to con-
ciliate Sibylla he would do a mean
thing, and yet not succeed in his decep-
ton; he would admit a previous fault
and gain no absolution by a calculated
and interested confession. He could
not bring himself to it. His manner
to the child was as carelessly kind as
ever; and when Sibylla was there the
caTelesEness was almost more appar-
ent than the kindness. Grantleys ma
ture was against him; to do violence
to it was a struggle. Ever ready to
be kind he disliked to show emotion.
He felt 1t was being false to himself,
being sham and hypocrite. To be
gushing was abhorrent to him; to pre-
tend to- gush surely touched a more
profound depth? His efforts achieved
no success; and he did not let Sibylla
perceive even the efforts themselves
For once his will, strong as it was, and
his clear perception were both power
less before his temper and the instincts
Of his nature. The result was a dead
lock- Matters could not move.
Such was the juncture of affairs when
Christine Fanshaw came to Milldean.
Perhaps only her resolve TO escape
from the atmosphere of disgrace at
home could have brought her; for she
came in some trepidation, rather sur
prised that Sibylla had welcomed her,
wondering whether the welcome was
OF Sibylla's own free will. Had not
she betrayed Sibyllla? Was not she
responsible for the Illustration of the
great plan? Yet an acute curiosity
mingled with and almost overpowered
her apprehensions. And she was pre-
pared to defend herself. The rumors
about Walter Blake would be a
weapon, if she needed one--a weapon
effective, if cruel. AS regards her own
treachery, she made haste to throw
herself on Sibylla's mercy.
"Of cOIrrS O Won must have knom,, ~