thing
only, Lily's happiness? Suppose she did not love her husband: Trampy,
alas, unworthy though he was, remained her husband, nevertheless! And
there was no hope of breaking the chain. The letters from Denver and
Houston were anything but encouraging. No proofs, no recollections of
Trampy's marriage over there. So there seemed no way out.

Nor did he wish to incense Trampy's jealousy. Lily would have had to bear
the brunt of it ... as in the old days, with Ma's temper. Oh, there was no
doubt about it: Jimmy, to hold his tongue now, needed more courage than
when risking his life six times in six seconds! But what was the use of
fighting against fate? Better submit, when there was no remedy, and strive
for peace!

"Everything gets straight sooner or later," Jimmy went on. "Many lives
that once seemed spoiled have become quite endurable. Time is the great
healer. Trampy, no doubt, will get over his faults. He will learn to
appreciate you. Have patience. Don't exaggerate your bothers, Lily. There
are others unhappier than yourself. You have a claim to happiness. You
will know it yet. Just think. You're so young, you have all your life
before you."

"The simpleton!" thought Lily. "It's easy for him to talk. But then ...
why was he so jealous? Why did he tell Pa about me? But for him, I should
be at home now!"

It was certain that, notwithstanding his kindly reception, Jimmy now
seemed to be taking Trampy's part, as formerly he had sided with Pa and
Ma. And he was lalerperlooser enough to ask Lily if her husband knew that
she had come to see him:

"I hope he knows, Lily. We must have no secrets: did you tell him?"

"He sent me," she said, resolving to tell everything frankly, since that
was what she had come for and not, after all, to talk about love ...
money, only, and business ... it was a question of bread and butter to
her.

"Ah! He did!" said Jimmy, a little surprised.

"Yes," said Lily, "it's about that lawsuit."

"Speak quite frankly, Lily. Tell me everything," said Jimmy, very calm.

"Well," said Lily, yielding before his air of candor, "Trampy is at the
end of his tether; he has no money"--she colored up to the eyes--"no
money, no work; the law-costs ..."

"And whose fault is that?" interrupted Jimmy, rising and picking up a
cigarette, so as to have something to fumble at with his fingers. "Whose
fault is it, Lily, if not that ... well, if not Trampy's? Isn't it fair
that he should pay for it? It wo