."

"A headache?"

"N-no. It's hard to describe. A sort of numbness. Sometimes it's as
though there was a heavy iron cap--a helmet on my head. And sometimes
it--I don't know it seems as if there were fog, or something or other,
inside. I'll take a good long rest this summer, as soon as we can get
away. Another month or six weeks, and I'll have things ship-shape and
so as I can leave them. Then we'll go up to Geneva, and, by Jingo, I'll
loaf." He was silent for a moment, frowning, passing his hand across
his forehead and winking his eyes. Then, with a return of his usual
alertness, he looked at his watch.

"Hi!" he exclaimed. "I must be off. I won't be home to dinner to-night.
But you can expect me by eight o'clock, sure. I promise I'll be here on
the minute."

But, as he kissed his wife good-by, Laura put her arms about his neck.

"Oh, I don't want you to leave me at all, ever, ever! Curtis, love me,
love me always, dear. And be thoughtful of me and kind to me. And
remember that you are all I have in the world; you are father and
mother to me, and my dear husband as well. I know you do love me; but
there are times--Oh," she cried, suddenly "if I thought you did not
love me--love me better than anything, anything--I could not love you;
Curtis, I could not, I could not. No, no," she cried, "don't interrupt.
Hear me out. Maybe it is wrong of me to feel that way, but I'm only a
woman, dear. I love you but I love Love too. Women are like that; right
or wrong, weak or strong, they must be--must be loved above everything
else in the world. Now go, go to your business; you mustn't be late.
Hark, there is Jarvis with the team. Go now. Good-by, good-by, and I'll
expect you at eight."

True to his word, Jadwin reached his home that evening promptly at the
promised hour. As he came into the house, however, the door-man met him
in the hall, and, as he took his master's hat and stick, explained that
Mrs. Jadwin was in the art gallery, and that she had said he was to
come there at once.

Laura had planned a little surprise. The art gallery was darkened. Here
and there behind the dull-blue shades a light burned low. But one of
the movable reflectors that were used to throw a light upon the
pictures in the topmost rows was burning brilliantly. It was turned
from Jadwin as he entered, and its broad cone of intense white light
was thrown full upon Laura, who stood over against the organ in the
full costume of "Theodora."

For a