r.

"I've done what I could," she said painfully, "but they seem to have made
up their minds."

"Then they'll unmake 'em," he replied, and he leaned forward heavily.
"They'll unmake 'em," he repeated, in a thick unnatural tone. "I'm not
a'goin' to hear to it!" In a curious manner his voice had changed. It
sounded like that of a man in the mountains, where he had been born and
raised. This thought flashed into Deborah's mind and her wide resolute
mouth set hard. It would be very difficult.

"I'm afraid this won't do, father dear. Whether you give your consent or
not--"

"Wun't, wun't it! You wait and see if it wun't!" Deborah came close to him.

"Suppose you wait till you understand," she admonished sternly.

"All right, I'm waiting," he replied. She felt herself trembling deep
inside. She did not want him to understand, any more than she must to
induce him to keep out of this affair.

"To begin with," she said steadily, "you will soon see yourself, I think,
that they fairly loathe the sight of each other--that there is no real
marriage left."

"That's fiddlesticks!" snapped Roger. "Just modern talk and new
ideas--ideas you're to blame for! Yes, you are--you put 'em in her
head--you and your gabble about woman's rights!" He was angry now. He was
glad he was angry. He'd just begun!

"If you want me to leave her alone," his daughter cut in sharply, "just say
so! I'll leave it all to you!" And she saw him flinch a little. "What would
be _your_ idea?" she asked.

"My idea? She's to go straight home and make up with him!"

She hesitated. Then she said:

"Suppose there's another woman."

"Then he's a beast," growled Roger.

"And yet you want her to live with him?"

He scowled, he felt baffled, his mind in a whirl. And a wave of
exasperation suddenly swept over him.

"Well, why shouldn't she?" he cried. "Other wives have done it--millions!
Made a devilish good success of it, too--made new men of their husbands!
Let her show him she's ready to forgive! That's only Christian, ain't it?
Hard? Of course it's hard on her! But can you tell me one hard thing she
has ever had to do in her life? Hasn't it been pleasure, pleasure from the
word go? Can't she stand something hard? Don't we all of us have to? I
do--God knows--with all of you!" And he puffed his cigar in a fury. His
daughter smiled. She saw her chance.

"Father," she said, in a low clear voice, "You've had so _many_ troubles.
Why not leave this one to m