The Monticellonian., 1919-03-14
CHAPTER Nll-Continued.

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 Leila said nothing, but thought hard. Bayard was silent. Later the door-bell rang and young sewing girl brought two big boxes from Dutiih's. They were so big that there was no conceal ing them. Leila made timid effort to escape with hers, but Bayard was full of cheerful curiosity:
 Whats all that, honey?"
 "Oh, it's just a-a little thing 1 picked up today at Dutilh's."
 What is it, q scarf or something? Give fellow a look at it."
 He began to unite the knot. Sealed Il statement Bayafd tore it free. leila snatched at it. Bayard laughed md lodged her. Leila pursued. It vas a ghastly game of tag for her, and Daphne and her mother looked on in ;uilty dread. Bayard, whooping with aughter, dashed into his room and closed the door, held it fast while Leila pounded and pleaded with him.
 His laughter was quenched sharply. There was q silence. He opened the door and walked out, q sickly pallor at his lips, the statement in his hand
 "This can't be right, honey: Bayard Kip to Dutilh debtor. Peach-blow satin gown-two hundred and seventy five dollars. The price is ridiculous, and I have no account there"
 "He-he insisted on my opening one"
 But don't want to open any ac- counts. I pay my bills in thirty days or discount them for cash. l can't pay this in thirty days. Every penny I can see ahead of me is laid out"
 "I-Tm sorry" Leila faltered. You said the times were getting better" 4 "I thought they were. hoped they were. But they've gone bad again. Be sides. l was trying to cheer you up, to give you q happy honeymoon. And l bought you everything you saw abroad. And it wasn't enough When will you get enough clothes :" Leila had stared incredulous at the calamitous result of her tender inn pulse to beautify herself in his eyes. Then tears came gushing and she ran to her room and locked the door.
 Bayard did not follow her. He turned for comfort to his mother and Daphne. He noted the other box. Daphne had not dared to open it.
 Bayard ripped the envelope from it's cord and read:
 "Bayard Kip to Dutilh, Dr. Parch- mentioned gown. for Miss Daphne Kip, two hundred and seventy-five dol lars."
 He was parchment-toned himself as he shook the statement at Daphne, and whispered, huskily, What's this?'
 Daphne could not muster any cour- age. She explained with craven re morse. T saw a gown that I-I needed there, and I-I- He offered to let it on your account till l could get the money"
 Bayard was choked with wrath and T terror greater than hers.
 "I go to my office and work like a fiend all day, and 1 come home to find that my wife and my sister have run lAe into debt for-five hundred and fifty dollars. And the firm, the big firm l work for, had to extend a note Tor seven hundred and fifty because we couldn't meet it!'
 His mother tried to stem the tide of 2 ifayards rage, to turn his wrath with Il soft answer:
 T guess it's all my fault, honey. The dresses looked so pretty on the girls l ! urged them to take them. You ought to see how beautiful they are. Go put fae dress on, Daphne and let your brother see how sweet you look in it." Sweet She looks sweet in it, It's Beautiful. And that justifies anything. Lord. what did you make 'em out of. these women v
 Mrs. Kip nudged Daphne and whis- 6i,cred, Go on, put the dress on let i lfilH see you in it."
 She spoke with great canniness, but s Daphne stared at her with derision.
 ld edged away and spoke in a tone ;sS biting as cold blue vitriol.
 ' I ever wear the thing? I'll send il
 ick tomorrow morning at daybreal
 fd I'll never take a thing that any .:tH pays for as long as l live.e Eayard roared at her over his shoul- 8 'r You won't take anything that E " man pays for. eh? What are you ! s;e7ng to live on-air?"
 >ihe answered him. grimly, "There a. o several million women in this untry earning their own living, and i going to be one of them" U His comment was barking, "Hah :" sihe lugged the box away to her room. Edward flung himself into q chair and 8a atened to the eauldron of his own EaAteful thoughts. Gradually they s,eased to bubble and stew. He could zilear now the muffled beat of Leila's sorrow. He resisted it for while. >neered at it. ragged at it, and then at ihe cruelty of the world.