he house, except the
kitchen, and stay there, where I can't see even a team pass, with
hardly a neighbor in sight. It drives me wild! To think I was
such a fool! If he were a poor man, I could stand it; but he's got
money enough."

"Why don't you make it fly, then?" broke in Miss Crilly. "Bet you
I would!"

"No, you wouldn't! He had to go with me to pick out the apron, and
he fretted like sixty because I would buy one made of decent cloth!
I was all in just over that!"

"We s'posed he was a nice, pleasant man--it's too bad!" Miss
Crilly was the only one who found words for reply.

"I don't have anything to read," went on the disappointed woman.
"He doesn't want to know anything. He does take a daily newspaper,
but that's all. There was a Bible in the house when I came, and
two or three schoolbooks--pretty place to live in!"

"Get a divorce!" advised Miss Crilly.

"I could easy! He'd never fight it--hasn't got life enough. But
where could I go?"

"I'm afraid you couldn't do anything with Miss Sniffen," said Mrs.
Albright sadly.

"What do you say, Polly?" smiled Mrs. Tenney. "You look as if you
had your advice all ready."

"No," answered Polly sorrowfully. "Only you've promised, and it
doesn't seem as if you ought to break your promise--just because
you don't like it here as well as you thought you would. It isn't
that I'm not sorry, Mrs. Dick--I mean, Mrs. Tenney--" Polly hurried
to explain. "I'm so sorry I could cry! But it doesn't seem
right--to me--perhaps it would be, perhaps I don't know." Polly
lifted appealing eyes to the woman's flushed face.

"I guess you see things clearer than I do, child! We'll put it to
vote. Mrs. Albright, what do you think?"

"I hardly know, and, anyway, I can't decide it for you. I suppose
I should incline to Polly's opinion."

"Miss Sterling? You hold the controlling vote, so be careful!"
Mrs. Tenney laughed uncertainly.

"It is a hard question, Mrs. Dick. I can hardly imagine a worse
hell than having to live with such a man as you picture him, and
yet--"

"I know! It's three against two! Good-bye, June Holiday Home,
with your steam heat and Miss Sniffen! We must adjourn--there's
Mrs. Grace and Mrs. Winslow Teed!"

For the ride home Polly sat between Miss Crilly and David in Dr.
Dudley's car.

"Isn't that a great bluff of Miss Sniffen's?" Miss Crilly's tone
was too confidential even for Polly's quick ears. The repeated
question carried as