The San Francisco call., 1904-11-27

self discreetly.. Anyhow, Sibydla made
a grievance OF it, you know, and rela-
tions were 4 little strained, 1 think"
"Oh, well. suppose that's over now,
since everything's gone right, Mrs.
Fanshaw?"
1T ought to be-" said Christine. shy
of asserting the positive fact. But
very often fusses about nothing do
just as much harm as fuses about
something big It's the way one looks
at them
Yes. 1 ought to know that. living
in our house." remarked Anna Selford.
You do give your parents away
so," Christine complained, with
smile in which pity was mingled.
The pity, however, was not for the
betrayed, but for the traitor. Annals
premature knowingness and the sug
gestion of hardness it carried with it
were the result Of a reaction against
the atmosphere Of her home, against
the half real gush and the spasmodic
emotionality of the family circle. In
this revolt truth asserted itself, but
sweetness suffered and freshness lost
its bloom Christine was sorry when
that sort Of thing happened to young
girls, But there it was. Anna was not
the ingenue and it was no good treat
ing her as if she were.
Pm really half glad you don't live
in this house. I'm sure John and 1
couldn't bear the scrutiny-not just
now, anyhow" She answered Annals
questioning eyes by going on: "Oh,
it's terrible, my dear. We've no money
now, really, don't repeat thatl And
Johns full Of business worries. It's
positively so bad that I have to try
to be amiable about it,"
I'm so sorry, and really won't talk
about il, Mrs. Fanshaw."
Nov don't nv dear-nOf fill we're
in the bankruptcy court. Then every
body'll know. And l daresay we shall
have some money again; at least bank
rupts seem to have plenty, generally"
Then why don't your"
Anna. John would cut his throat
first. Oh, 1 really believe he would!
You've no idea what a man like him
thinks of his business and Of his firms
credit. It's like-well, it's like what
we women ought to think (again
Christine avoided asserting the actual
fact) about our regulations. you know.
So you may imagine the state of
things. The best pair is being sold
at Tattersalls this very day. That's
why I'm indoors-cabs are so cold, and
the other pair will have to go out at
night
Shiveringly she nestled to the fire
again.
I'm awfully sorry. Mrs. Fanshaw
It'll all come right, won't it?''
1T generally does; but don't know"
And John saws I've always been so
extravagant-and I suppose I have.
Well. 1 thought it was just that John
was stingy. He had a splendid busi-
ness, you know" She paused and
smiled at Anna. 80 now you know
all Of everybody's troubles" she
ended.
Christine was not in the habit Of
orf1~irpr rara haxrnv,d
out reservation either TO herself or to
other people, and she had done 10
more than Justice TO her present ef-
fort to be amiable. Money was the
old cause Of quarrel between her hus-
band and herself; the alienation of fat
and lean years had kept it always alive
and intermittently active. But hitherto
while the fat seasons had meant af-
auence, the lean had never fallen short
Of plenty or solvency. It had been a
question Of more or less lavish expen-
oiture, that was all. Christine was
af, aid there was more now. Her hus-
band was worried as he had never
been before; he had dropped hints Of
speculations gone wrong and Of heavy
commitments; and Christine, a con-
slant glancer at city articles and an
occasional dabbler in stocks, had read
that there was crisis in the market
in which he mainly dealt. Things were
black: she knew 1t almost as well as
he. Roth showed courage and the seri-
business OF the matter forbade mere
pickering. Nor was either invulner-
able enough to open the battle. Her
extravaganza exposed her to attack;
he was conscious Of hazardous specu-
lations which had wantonly under
mined the standing, and now threat
ened the credit. Of firm once strong
and OF excellent reDute. Each needed
at once to give and to receive charity.
Thus from the impending trouble they
had become better friends, and their
underlying comradeship had more
openly asserted itself. This amount or
good there was in it, Christine thought
to herself; and John. in his blunt fash
ion. had actually said as much to her.
We're in the same boat, and we
must both pull at our oars. old girl"
he said, and Christine was glad he
should say It, although she hated being
called 'old girl" John had a tendency
toward plebeian endearments, she
thought.
So the best pair went to Tattersalrs,
and some Of the diamonds to a corre-
spending establishment in the jewelry
line; and various other things were
done or attempted with the view Of
letting free a few thousand pounds
and OF diminishing expenditure In the
future. But John Fanshaw's brow
grew no clearer. About these sacrifices
there hung the air of doing what was
right and proper-what, given the
worst happening, would commend
itself to the feelings of the creditors
and the Official Receiver-rather than
of achieving anything Of real service.
Christine guessed that the speculations
must have been on a very large scale
and the commitments very heavy.
Could it be that ruin-real ruin--was in
front OF them? She could hardly real
ize that-either its coming or what life
would be after it had come And in
her heart-here, too. she had said no
more than truth-she did doubt
whether John would stay in the world
to see. Well, what could she do7 She
had three hundred a year Of her own,
tied up and (since they had no chill
dren) could find crusts for herself and
John-if John were there. These were
the thoughts which had kept intrud-
ing into her mind as she talked to
Anna Selford and shivered now and
then over the blazing fire. Yet she
could face them better than John,
thanks to a touch of fatalism in her
nature. She would think of no violent