and more sobs, frantic clutchings at the sofa pillows and
declarations that she had better die; it would be better for her and
ever so much better for everyone else if she were dead. No one would
care.

Poor Daniel, distressed and remorseful, vaguely conscious that he was
right, but conscience stricken nevertheless, hoisted the white flag.

"Hush, hush, Serena!" he pleaded. "Land sakes, don't say such
things--please don't. I'll do anything you want, of course I will. I'll
go to Scarford, if you say so. I was just--"

"I don't ask you to go there forever. I never have asked that. I only
ask you to go there and live a while and just see how we like it. That
was all I asked, and you knew it. But you won't! you won't!"

"Why, yes I will, too. I'll go--go next week, if you say so. I--I
just--"

He got no further. Mrs. Dott, wet-eyed but radiant, lifted her head from
the sofa pillow and threw her arms about his neck.

"Will you?" she cried ecstatically. "Will you, Daniel? I knew you would.
You're a dear, good man and I love you better than all the world. We
will be so happy. You see if we aren't."

The captain was no less doubtful of the happiness than he had ever been,
but he tried to smile and to find comfort in the thought that she was
happy if he was not.

He had written Gertrude telling of her mother's new notion and asking
for advice and counsel. The reply, which came by return mail, did not
cheer him as much as he had hoped.

"It was inevitable, I suppose," Gertrude wrote. "I expected it. I was
almost certain that Mother would want to live in Scarford. Mrs. Black
has been telling her all summer about society and club life and what
she calls 'woman's opportunity,' and Mother has come to believe that
Scarford is Paradise. You will have to go, I think, Daddy dear. Perhaps
it is just as well. Mother won't be satisfied until she has tried it,
and perhaps, after she has tried it, she may be glad to come back to
Trumet. My advice is to let her find out for herself, but, of course, if
you feel sure it is wrong, then you must put your foot down, say no, and
stick to it. No one can do that for you; you must do it yourself."

Which was perfectly true, as true as the other fact--namely, that
Captain Dan could not "stick to it" in a controversy with his wife,
having lost the sticking faculty years before.

But, oddly enough, there was one point upon which he did stick and
refused to budge: That point was Azuba's going