The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1914-08-27

itCtiiu Iuc S.Bl auU turned OH him
suspiciously.
What's the matter? Are you tired
of hearing me tali1?" she demanded.
Why, no." he answered mendaci.
ously, "hut the heat in town TODAY was
very enervating."
Now. alone, he whispered the truth.
Heaven forgive me! I was bored to
DEATH"
He sat for some time trying to an.
%preciate what the condition of affairs
meant, how he and his wife would live
together through all the coming years.
each preying an the other. His soul
sickened at the thought. Did Daisy
appreciate it as he did?
Her voice calling him from the next
room came as an answer to his cues.
ton. He obeyed her summons prompt-
~, carrying his cigar with him.
"Dan,' came the sweet but fret
full voice, won't tomorrow be the first
of September"
eyes, dear" (That perfunctory
dear! How hard married couples
work" it!)
And we will surely go home tho
fifteenth, won't wc?"
Certainly"
Thank the Lord" she murmured.
Daniel and Daisy Drayton had been
married five years when their son was
born. Daisy took the responsibilities
of motherhood as she took everything.
lightly. She was not to blame, for it
was her nature. A full pint.measure
is really just as full as is a gallon
measure. The husband used to re-
mind himself of this fact when he
was tempted to be impatient with
what he called, when angry, her "shal.
low nature" Perhaps, after ALL" he
would muse, "she is wiser than l.
Things don't hurt her long. AS for
Newell, I won't let them hurt me.
She and l will just have to rub along
as other people do. And. thank God,
there's the baby to keep life endur-
able!"
For the dissatisfied man soon found
that the knowledge that he had a son
to love and live for did much toward
making the future bright.
As long as Daisy had her baby and
her social pleasures she looked no
deeper into conditions. She did not
neglect her child as the woman Of to.
day terms neglect. She made time
each day to play with him, to rock him
In her arms and to listen to sugges
lions from his nurse as to what was
needed to make his tasteful wardrobe
even more elaborate.
Familiarity with society and obedi-
ence to its many claims did not breed
contempt Ct it in Daisy. AS she and
her husband grew farther apart, she
threw herself into the gay life more
enthusiastically than ever. AS Dan
must be at his Office all day he need
never be pressed into service for afeer-
noon engagements. But he still, with
such patience as he could muster, did
escort duty to evening affairs, except
on the one night Of the week on which
Daisy attended the meeting Of the
musical club to which she belonged.
To this club she went in a cab, re-
turning in one. She did not mention
to her husband that one of tho men
members often accompanied her to her
front door. But evening, return
ing home earlier than usual, she sug-
gested that Tom Nash, her escort,
come In for a few minutes. Dan,
hearing a mans voice in the drawing
room, left his book and came in, as
in duty bound. making an ennuye
third in the brief chat that ensued
before the guest took his departure.
The next morning at breakfast the
husband remarked, apropos Of the con-
versation Of the previous evening, that
tom Nash carried light guns"
The wife flushed uncomfo-tably. II
wish you would not criticize my
friends" she demurred.
Dan raised his brows in surprise.
rs he a friend Of yours?" he queried.
II thought of him simply as a chance
acquaintance"
He has been Of service to me sew.
eral times" insisted Daisy, too much
yexed to consider the admission she
was making. "in bringing me home
from the club"
Her husband frowned. II WISH" he
protested, that you would not have
men bring you home at night"
why, not?" queried the woman
petulantly. Il see no reason why I
should tako that drive alone"
"And If I am willing to leave at a
garage a standing order for a taxi for
you whenever you want one, I see no
reason why any man need at as es-
cort to you"
fortunately" retorted the wife,
"other men have more regard for my
comfort and safety than you have"
A hard look came into the mans
eyes. Only last week he had received
a letter from his sister, who had been
paying a visit in Daisy's former home
town, and it had contained a sentence
that had ranked. II wonder" it ran,
III you ever knew that Daisy was en-
gagged to another man when she met
you. and that rumor declares that she
did not break off her affair with him
until after she had accepted YOU"
Dan had grown hot with indignation
when he read the sentence, but the
rocontpnonf Uoo ouoinof hio ciotor MT