, 1916-03-02

ged 1t through the mire of his indiffer-
ence and unfaithfulness. and she had
taken it back and cleansed it and
nursed 1t In secret. 1t might yet be
his, but he must earn 1t anew.
1t was her soul which spoke in the
words:
D you think that's all | care about?
Don't you suppose marriage means
anything to me but spending money
INT amusing myself? What good is it
If / haven't the companionship of my
husband?"
The words struck a chord of coarse
ness m him. "Companionship of my
husband?" 1t was not in that vein
that the women spoke with whom he
%consOrted. He seated himself again.
For a m he stared at her in
amazement, then he recovered himself
and said blasphemously:
My God, are you going to get senti-
mental?"
"T've never known what it meant to
be really married." said Joan Trask
sadly. For six years | hid myself
away because I didn't happen to suit
your family"
well, you didn't lose by It," said
the man to whom money was all or
nearly all. "If my father had cut me
off you wouldn't be living in luxury to-
day"
"All our money hasn't brought me
happiness. No other woman would
have borne what have for fifteen
years. If you had a spark of manhood
in you you'd lead a decent life-if not
for my sake. then for your children's."
His manner changed from the iron
ical and contemptuous to the sarcastic.
The mention of children, which brings
the light of joy and hope to the eyes
of the true father and the gladness of
life to his heart, wrought no miracle in
the soul of this man, so hardened to
all true feeling. With a sheer he re-
piled to his wife. the mother of his
children:
"Oh, now we're around to the chill
dren again.
You never consider them. They'll
soon be old enough to understand"
1t was In an a~ggrieved tone that he
responded, as though he had been ac-
cused uniustly;
"They've got everything they want
too. They're getting a good education
and a liberal allowance. That's all
they have a right to expect of me-"
oh, shortsighted father!
you're sending them out into the
world with a stigma
"Oh, stigma be hangedl | lead a
pretty straight life. You don't expect
me to sit by the Preside twirling my
thumbs, do you? I've got time for
| that thirty years from now"
1t was with Il sinking heart that
Joan Trask recognized the futility of
her arguments and her appeals to her
husband. When reasoning fails fear
and self interest will prevail some
times. She decided to adopt u differ
ent course with her sneering, cynical
husband. Wifely devotion had failed,
appeal to parental love had been in
vain. She would try compulslon.
Her voice lost its appealing quality
and took on the tone of indignant wo-
manhood. conscious of Its rights, rs
she said:
II won't stand 1t any longer-Tn get
a divorce!'
The threat failed of its effect.
well. go ahead; l won't attempt to
prevent you" said Trask.
mo, you'll he glad, 1 suppose"
II won't be sorry, you can wager on
that"
Again the tone stung her. But this
time in her reply there was something
which had been absent heretofore
contempt for the man whose name she
bore.
And I've been living with you all
these years. she flung at him. But
again her words inc tone failed to hit
their mark. If indeed they were intend.
ed to rouse him.
We'll, why have you7" he asked
You know why-to keep up nppeas
aHces 81 account of the c~hildreu-to