of her soft skin
showed, as white and pure as the white of daisy petals; her firm young
breast moved regularly under the fresh crisp gingham; the folds of her
skirt were short enough to show her slender ankles and square-toed
sensible low shoes tied with wide bows.

"You used not to be so cold, Julie," Jim said, baffled and
uncomfortable.

"I am not cold," she answered mildly. "I never was a very
demonstrative--never a very emotional person, I think. Three years
ago--two years ago, even--I would have gone on my knees to you, Jim,
begged you to come back, for Anna's sake as well as my own. But that
time has gone by. This life, I've come to see, is far better for Anna
than any child in our old set leads, and for me--well, I'm happy. I
never was so happy, or busy, or necessary, in my life, as I am now."

"Do you mean that there's _no_ chance of a reconciliation?" Jim asked
huskily. Julia gave him a glance of honest surprise.

"Jim," she asked crisply, "do you mean that you came on with the hope of
a reconciliation? I thought you told Barbara something very different
from that!"

"I don't know what I came on for. I wish Barbara would mind her own
business," said Jim, feeling himself at a disadvantage.

"My dear Jim," Julia said with motherly kindness, "I know you so well!
You came on here determined to get a divorce, you want to be free, you
may already have in mind some other woman! But I've hurt your feelings
by making it all easy for you--by coming over to your side. You wanted a
fuss, tears, protests, a convulsion among your old friends. And you
find, instead, that all San Francisco takes the situation for granted,
and that I do, too. I've made my own life, I have Anna, and more than
enough money to live on; you have your freedom; every one's satisfied."

"That's nonsense and you know it!" Jim exclaimed angrily. "There's not
one word of truth in it!" He began to pull on his gloves, a handsome
figure in his irreproachable trim black sack suit with low oxfords
showing a glimpse of gray hose, and an opal winking in his gray silk
scarf. "There's absolutely no reason in the world why you should
consider yourself as more or less than my wife," he said. "There's no
object in this sort of reckless talk. We've been separated for a few
years; it's no one's business but our own to know why!"

"Oh, Jim--Jim!" Julia said, shaking her head.

"Don't talk that way to me!" he said fiercely. "I tell you I'm serious!
It's all n