Tombstone epitaph., 1917-12-16

per1ect-WaS Iallure.
 It was not until, pretty ruefully. they acknowledged this. tore up their artificial resolution not to look at the future, and deliberately set themselves to the contemplation of a life that would have to take into account com plex and bafiiing considerations, that their honeymoon became a success. It was well along in their month that this happened.
 Rose had spent a maddening sort of day. a day that had been all edges, trying not to let herself feel hurt over was possible to attach to some of the things Rodney had said. trying to be | cheerful and sensible. and to ignore | the patent fact that his cheerfulness was as forced and unnatural a thing | as hers. The children-as rule the beSt-behaved little things in the world had been refractory. So. after their supper when they'd finally gone of to sleep. and Rose had reioined Rodney in the sitting room, she was in a state where it did not take much to set her | of
 It was not much that did: nothing l more. indeed. than the fact that she found her husband breeding in front of the fire and that the smile with which he greeted her was little too quick and bright and mechanical. and that it soon faded out. The Rodney of her memories had never done things like that. If you found him sitting in chair. you found him reading a book. When he was thinking something out he tramped back and forth, twisted his 1 face up. made gestures. That habit couldn't have changed. It was just | that he didn't care to be natural with her, Couldn't feel at home with her! Before she knew 1t. she was cry ing.
 He asked. in consternatiOn. what l the matter was.
 Nothing" she said. Absolutely nothing. Really"
 Then it's just-that you're not hap | py. with me. like this" He brought that out gravely. q word at n time, as though they hurt
 Are you happy, with me-like this?" she countered.
 It was question he could not an- swer categOrically. and she did not ! give him time for anything else. Whats the matter with us. Roddy?'' ! she demanded. "We ought to be hap py. We meant to be-" Her voice broke in n sob over that. 'And here We are | like this,"
 ''It hasn't all been like this" he said. There have been hours, a day or two. that I'd go through the whole thing for, again, if necessary" | She nodded assent to that. But the rest of the time," she cried. "Why can't We Uncomfortable together? ! Why Roddy. why can't you be natural with me? Like your old self. i Why don't you roar it me. any more i And swear when you run into things? | I've never seen you formal beforey- not with anybody. Not even with strangers. And now you're formal with me"
 l The rueful grin with which he ac- hhpN.fN-fN illt AliS l ment was more like him. and it cheered 1 her immensely. She answered it with | one of her own, dried her eyes, and asked again, more collectedly:
 Well. can you tell me why?' "Why, it seemed to me-" he said, that it was you who were different. | And you have changed, of course, down inside. more than have. You've been through things in the last year and half, found out things that know nothing about, except as I have read about them in books. So, when remember how things used to be be- tween us. how used to be the one who knew things. and how I preached and spouted. get to feeling that the man you remember must look to you now, like-well, like a schoolboy showing off."
 She stared at him incredulously But that's downright morbid" she said. Its horrible that should make sou feel like that" she concluded.
 Tt isn't you" he told her. Its just the situation. I can't help feeling that I'm taken on approval. Oh, it's got to be like that, There are things that, with all the forgiveness in the world. you can't forget. And until you have seen that am different, that I have made myself different. .'
 She gave shaky laugh. "On ap. provalw Her eyes filled again. Rod. dy. you can't mean that" She came over and sat down in his lap, and slid her arm around his neck. This is where we'll begini" she said. That I'll never-whatever happens-wall; out on you again. Whether things go well or badly with us, we'll work il out, somehow. together"
 It was not until she heard the long, | shuddering sigh he drew at that. and felt him go limp under her, that she realized how genuine his fear had been-the perfectly preposterous fear that if their new experiment didn't come up to her anticipation, she'd tell him so, and leave him once more. This time. for good.
 It was a good while before they took up a rational discussion again but at last she said: Tt will take working out. though. We've been