art at least.

Mrs. Hurstwood gave this bit of information considerable thought during
the next few hours, and even days. She took it for granted that the
doctor had really seen her husband, and that he had been riding, most
likely, with some other woman, after announcing himself as BUSY to her.
As a consequence, she recalled, with rising feeling, how often he had
refused to go to places with her, to share in little visits, or, indeed,
take part in any of the social amenities which furnished the diversion
of her existence. He had been seen at the theatre with people whom he
called Moy's friends; now he was seen driving, and, most likely, would
have an excuse for that. Perhaps there were others of whom she did not
hear, or why should he be so busy, so indifferent, of late? In the last
six weeks he had become strangely irritable--strangely satisfied to pick
up and go out, whether things were right or wrong in the house. Why?

She recalled, with more subtle emotions, that he did not look at her
now with any of the old light of satisfaction or approval in his eye.
Evidently, along with other things, he was taking her to be getting old
and uninteresting. He saw her wrinkles, perhaps. She was fading, while
he was still preening himself in his elegance and youth. He was still an
interested factor in the merry-makings of the world, while she--but she
did not pursue the thought. She only found the whole situation bitter,
and hated him for it thoroughly.

Nothing came of this incident at the time, for the truth is it did not
seem conclusive enough to warrant any discussion. Only the atmosphere of
distrust and ill-feeling was strengthened, precipitating every now and
then little sprinklings of irritable conversation, enlivened by flashes
of wrath. The matter of the Waukesha outing was merely a continuation of
other things of the same nature.

The day after Carrie's appearance on the Avery stage, Mrs. Hurstwood
visited the races with Jessica and a youth of her acquaintance, Mr. Bart
Taylor, the son of the owner of a local house-furnishing establishment.
They had driven out early, and, as it chanced, encountered several
friends of Hurstwood, all Elks, and two of whom had attended the
performance the evening before. A thousand chances the subject of the
performance had never been brought up had Jessica not been so engaged
by the attentions of her young companion, who usurped as much time as
possible. This left Mrs. Hurstwood in th