y in love with her he would answer with
an emphatic "no." If he didn't care, he would hesitate, he would
delay, he would seek to put off the evil day of reckoning.

"I don't see that," he retorted irritably. "I don't see that
there's any need for either interference or hasty action. What I
object to is their coming here and mixing in my private affairs."

Jennie was cut to the quick by his indifference, his wrath instead
of affection. To her the main point at issue was her leaving him or
his leaving her. To him this recent interference was obviously the
chief matter for discussion and consideration. The meddling of others
before he was ready to act was the terrible thing. She had hoped, in
spite of what she had seen, that possibly, because of the long time
they had lived together and the things which (in a way) they had
endured together, he might have come to care for her deeply--that
she had stirred some emotion in him which would never brook real
separation, though some seeming separation might be necessary. He had
not married her, of course, but then there had been so many things
against them. Now, in this final hour, anyhow, he might have shown
that he cared deeply, even if he had deemed it necessary to let her
go. She felt for the time being as if, for all that she had lived with
him so long, she did not understand him, and yet, in spite of this
feeling, she knew also that she did. He cared, in his way. He could
not care for any one enthusiastically and demonstratively. He could
care enough to seize her and take her to himself as he had, but he
could not care enough to keep her if something more important
appeared. He was debating her fate now. She was in a quandary, hurt,
bleeding, but for once in her life, determined. Whether he wanted to
or not, she must not let him make this sacrifice. She must leave
him--if he would not leave her. It was not important enough that
she should stay. There might be but one answer. But might he not show
affection?

"Don't you think you had better act soon?" she continued, hoping
that some word of feeling would come from him. "There is only a little
time left, isn't there?"

Jennie nervously pushed a book to and fro on the table, her fear
that she would not be able to keep up appearances troubling her
greatly. It was hard for her to know what to do or say. Lester was so
terrible when he became angry. Still it ought not to be so hard for
him to go, now that he had Mrs. Gerald, i