when he had come to a similar conclusion, he
refused to talk further on that subject, but fell to speculating idly
on New York. In which he was presently aided and abetted by Hazel, who
had never invaded Manhattan, nor, for that matter, any of the big
Atlantic cities. She had grown up in Granville, with but brief
journeys to near-by points. And Granville could scarcely be classed as
a metropolis. It numbered a trifle over three hundred thousand souls.
Bill had termed it "provincial." But it meant more to her than any
other place in the East, by virtue of old associations and more recent
acquaintance. One must have a pivotal point of such a sort, just as
one cannot forego the possession of a nationality.

New York, she was constrained to admit, rather overwhelmed her. She
traversed Broadway and other world-known arteries, and felt a trifle
dubious amid the unceasing crush. Bill piloted her to famous cafes,
and to equally famous theaters. She made sundry purchases in
magnificent shops. The huge conglomeration of sights and sounds made
an unforgettable impression upon her. She sensed keenly the colossal
magnitude of it all. But she felt a distinct wave of relief when they
were Granville bound once more.

In a week they were settled comfortably in a domicile of their
own--five rooms in an up-to-date apartment house. And since the social
demands on Mrs. William Wagstaff's time grew apace, a capable maid and
a cook were added to the Wagstaff establishment. Thus she was relieved
of the onus of housework. Her time was wholly her own, at her own
disposal or Bill's, as she elected.

But by imperceptible degrees they came to take diverse roads in the
swirl of life which had caught them up. There were so many little
woman affairs where a man was superfluous. There were others which
Bill flatly refused to attend. "Hen parties," he dubbed them. More
and more he remained at home with his books. Invariably he read
through the daytime, and unless to take Hazel for a walk or a drive, or
some simple pleasure which they could indulge in by themselves, he
would not budge. If it were night, and a dance was to the fore, he
would dress and go gladly. At such, and upon certain occasions when a
certain little group would take supper at some cafe, he was apparently
in his element. But there was always a back fire if Hazel managed to
persuade him to attend anything in the nature of a formal affair. He
drew the line at w