The citizen., 1914-11-06
CHAPTER xVI-continued.

IN AVI-SOnIlnue0.
Quite sadly and quietly he turned to
tfler as he had before, but 1t was a
.a,raver question now. He realized that
,, and he knew that his answer would
De momentous one.
Jane" he said, "if l have failed
failed to give you what you wanted;
iailed to give you what you hoped for;
Jailed as husband and a man, am
sorry. / am sorry, but that Is all |
san say. If you want more; more than
money can buy and want to buy 1t
with the kind of money that Brand
pliers, you must look elsewhere. 1t
cannot come from me. What you have
Said Of yourself is largely true. But it
was all part of the agreement. told
you you would have to go through it.
ALI Of it. We both knew that"
"Yes," she answered, until the
chance came for you to help yourself.
You know that you believed and that
believed that some day the chance
would come, and when it came, you
discarded it."
But not that kind of chance he
said softly. "That was not what /
was expecting or looking for. l never
wanted to be thief, Jane, and have
told you won't be one now. / know
the temptation and though it grieves
me to see you blinded to 1t, it is not
merely my opinion against yours that
makes me firm. l am thinking of you,
too. know II l take this money all
the love will be driven out Of our
hearts. and this home, such as it is,
that we have struggled for, will be
gone"
But we can find better one."
mo. Jane," he persisted firmly, but
hopelessly. 1T won't be better one.
It won't be home at all. That word
doesn't signify four walls and a roof.
no matter how much magnificence may
be within them. Home is here where
we have made it. Home is in our
hearts and If we destroy the purity
Of it and our respect for each other,
home is nowhere. That doesn't mean,
though, that we are doomed forever to
this particular spot. l will work on.
If a man is capable and honest and
knows his duty and does 1t. nothing
can stop him. 1t Is only little wait"
Wait! That was the word she would
not brook. The lure of ready money,
the luxury of it, had trapped Jane
firmly in its meshes. The little taste
she had had was just enough to make
her crave 1t, as little water drives
a thirst-famished man to a maddening
quest for more.
only a little wait. Only a little
wait!" She drawled the words out in
a wearisome monotone, and then ex-
claimed: "Why, soon I'll be like Mrs.
Collins with paint on my face and my
hands in gloves to hide the seams in
them. and wanting some liquid balm
TO drown the sordidness of 1t ALL Now
II it were necessary, Bob, I'd be will
ing to live like Mrs. Collins, dowdy and
dirty, but it isn't. You can't take this
chance of escape from me. You can't
and you won't. That's final"
She turned and crossed quickly to
her room. Reynolds stood as if dumb
stricken, watching the door through
which she had gone. In moment she
came out, dressed in coat and hat
You're going out?" her husband
inquired in a surprised tone. why.
Jane, If you want anything at the store
let me go for you.'
Il don't want anything at the store,
Bob, and I'm going farther than that.
I'm going to New York But not to
Brand" she added. There was no
more between Brand and me than be-
tween you and your employer and I
guess my jobs about ended there. as
the partnership Is here"
You mean you're leaving your hus-
band and your home? Why, you must
be mad, Jane. / won't let YOU"
BY what right can you stop met"
me inquired coolly.
"Just by the right of our love-" he
answered, stepping quickly to her side
and putting an arm about her. Il
can't let you go that way. Jane. That's
my end Of the partnership"
She drew away from his embrace,
not angrily, but with determination.
Bob" she said gently. 81 love you.
You know do. But I'm not going to