uess you won't have much cause to complain."

"I married you in a fit of temper. It was very stupid of me. I'm very
sorry that I--that I've been all this trouble to you. Won't you let me
go?"

"No, I can't do that."

"I'm no good to you. You've told me that I'm useless. I can't do any of
the things that you want a wife to do. Oh," she ended passionately, "you
can't be so hard-hearted as to make me pay with all my whole life for
one moment's madness!"

"What good will it do you if I let you go? Will you go to Gertie and beg
her to take you back again? You've got too much pride for that."

She made a gesture of abnegation: "I don't think I've got much pride
left."

"Don't you think you'd better give it a try?"

Once more hope wakened in Nora's heart. His tone was so reasonable. If
she kept her self-control, she might yet win. She sat down on one of the
stools and spoke in a tone that was almost conversational.

"All this life is so strange to me. Back in England, they think it's so
different from what it really is. I thought I should have a horse to
ride, that there would be dances and parties. And when I came out, I was
so out of it all. I felt in the way. And yesterday Gertie drove me
frantic so that I felt I couldn't stay a moment longer in that house. I
acted on impulse. I didn't know what I was doing. I made a mistake. You
can't have the _heart_ to take advantage of it."

"I knew you was making a mistake, but that was your lookout. When I sell
a man a horse, he can look it over for himself. I ain't obliged to tell
him its faults."

"Do you mean to say that after I've begged you almost on my knees to let
me go, you'll force me to stay?"

[Illustration: FRANK GLIMPSES THE APPROACHING STORM THAT MEANS HIS RUIN.]

"That's what I mean."

"Oh, why did I ever trap myself so!"

"Come, my girl, let's let bygones be bygones," he said good-humoredly.
"Come, give me a kiss."

She tried a new tack.

"I'm not in love with you," she said in a matter-of-fact voice.

"I guessed that."

"And you're not in love with me."

"You're a woman and I'm a man."

"Do you want me to tell you in so many words that you're physically
repellent to me? That the thought of letting you kiss me horrifies and
disgusts me?" In spite of her resolution, her voice was rising.

"Thank you." He was still good-humored.

"Look at your hands; it gives me goose-flesh when you touch me."

"Cuttin' down trees, diggin', lookin' after hor