now I am frightfully
unhappy; what will it be when you go? Marsh has made a perfect wreck of
my life!"

"Nonsense, Evelyn!" he replied bruskly. "You must be careful what you
say to me!"

"I haven't been careful before!" she asserted.

He bit his lips. She went swiftly on.

"I have told you everything! I don't care what happens to me--you know I
don't, Jack! I am deadly desperately tired!" She paused, then she cried
vehemently. "One endures a situation as long as one can, but there comes
a time when it is impossible to go on with the falsehood any longer, and
I have reached that time! It is my life, my happiness that are at
stake!"

"Sometimes it is better to do without happiness," he philosophized.

"That is silly, Jack, no one believes that sort of thing any more; but
it is good to teach to women and children, it saves a lot of bother, I
suppose. But men take their happiness regardless of the rights of
others!"

"Not always," he said.

"Yes, always!" she insisted.

"But you knew what Marsh was before you married him."

"It's a woman's vanity to believe she can reform, can control a man."
She glanced at him furtively. What had happened to change him? Always
until now he had responded to the recklessness of her mood, he had
seemed to understand her without the need of words. Her brows met in an
angry frown. Was he a coward? Did he fear Marshall Langham? Once more
she rested her hand on his arm. "Jack, dear Jack, are _you_ going to
fail me, too?"

"What would you have me say or do, Evelyn?" he demanded impatiently.

She regarded him sadly.

"What has made you change, Jack? What is it; what have I done? Why did
you not answer my letters? Why did you not come to see me?"

"I only learned that you were in town this afternoon," he said.

"Yes, but you had no intention of coming, I know you hadn't! You would
have left Mount Hope without even a good-by to me!"

"It is hard enough to have to go, Evelyn!"

"It isn't that, Jack. What have I done? How have I displeased you?"

"You haven't displeased me, Evelyn," he faltered.

"Then why have you treated me as you have?"

"I thought it would be easier," he said.

"Have you forgotten what friends we were once?" she asked softly. "You
always helped me out of my difficulties then, and you told me once that
you cared--a great deal for me, more than you should ever care for any
woman!"

"Yes," he answered shortly, and was silent.

He would scarcely have admi