what's the matter," cried Trina, with a half sob; "I know, I can
smell it on your breath. You've been drinking whiskey."

"Yes, I've been drinking whiskey," retorted her husband. "I've been
drinking whiskey. Have you got anything to say about it? Ah, yes, you're
RIGHT, I've been drinking whiskey. What have YOU got to say about my
drinking whiskey? Let's hear it."

"Oh! Oh! Oh!" sobbed Trina, covering her face with her hands. McTeague
caught her wrists in one palm and pulled them down. Trina's pale face
was streaming with tears; her long, narrow blue eyes were swimming; her
adorable little chin upraised and quivering.

"Let's hear what you got to say," exclaimed McTeague.

"Nothing, nothing," said Trina, between her sobs.

"Then stop that noise. Stop it, do you hear me? Stop it." He threw up
his open hand threateningly. "STOP!" he exclaimed.

Trina looked at him fearfully, half blinded with weeping. Her husband's
thick mane of yellow hair was disordered and rumpled upon his great
square-cut head; his big red ears were redder than ever; his face was
purple; the thick eyebrows were knotted over the small, twinkling eyes;
the heavy yellow mustache, that smelt of alcohol, drooped over the
massive, protruding chin, salient, like that of the carnivora; the veins
were swollen and throbbing on his thick red neck; while over her head
Trina saw his upraised palm, callused, enormous.

"Stop!" he exclaimed. And Trina, watching fearfully, saw the palm
suddenly contract into a fist, a fist that was hard as a wooden mallet,
the fist of the old-time car-boy. And then her ancient terror of him,
the intuitive fear of the male, leaped to life again. She was afraid of
him. Every nerve of her quailed and shrank from him. She choked back her
sobs, catching her breath.

"There," growled the dentist, releasing her, "that's more like. Now,"
he went on, fixing her with his little eyes, "now listen to me. I'm beat
out. I've walked the city over--ten miles, I guess--an' I'm going to
bed, an' I don't want to be bothered. You understand? I want to be let
alone." Trina was silent.

"Do you HEAR?" he snarled.

"Yes, Mac."

The dentist took off his coat, his collar and necktie, unbuttoned his
vest, and slipped his heavy-soled boots from his big feet. Then he
stretched himself upon the bed and rolled over towards the wall. In a
few minutes the sound of his snoring filled the room.

Trina craned her neck and looked at her husband over the f