said:

"I never understood why you quit him anyway. Tell me, did he punch
you?"

"Certainly not!" she exclaimed indignantly.

"Was he mixed up with another woman?"

"Another woman! Robert? The idea!!"

"Well, if it wasn't one of them, in heaven's name what was it?"

"You wouldn't understand," she replied simply.

He stopped short in front of her and folded his arms. With as severe
an air as he could muster he said sternly:

"Perhaps not, but here's something I can understand. Why did I quit my
job? Because of you. Who has brought us down to this? You! Who makes
Fanny work harder than any hired girl in the city? You! Who has ruined
my career? You! You and your selfishness!"

Taken aback by the suddenness of his denunciation, Virginia stared at
him in surprise, as if not comprehending.

"My selfishness?" she stammered.

"Just that!" he sneered. With pretended indignation he went on: "And
the things you were going to do for little Virgie! She was going to
have a governess; she was going to learn music and painting when she
grew up; she was going to have a horse. A horse! Ha! ha! The only
horse she'll ever have will be a clothes-horse!!"

Hurt in her most sensitive nature, Virginia listened to his words,
each one of which fell on her with the weight of a blow.

"Please, Jimmie, please!" she cried.

But he had no pity; he was ready to inflict any suffering so long as
it did not hurt himself and it accomplished his object.

"Yes," he went on, "and she'll have to do the same as Fanny does,
break her back washing the things to put over it! And why? Because you
think more of your 'principles' than you do of your relations. Because
you think only of yourself. Because you're selfish. That's why!"

Almost in tears, Virginia put out her hand, pleading to him to desist.

"Stop, please!" she cried. "Don't you see how nervous and tired I am?"

At that instant Fanny re-entered with the tea things, in time to hear
her sister's cry of distress. Turning indignantly to her husband, she
said:

"You behave yourself! What have you been saying to her, anyway?"

He shrugged his shoulders as he replied carelessly:

"I've been telling her things for her own good." Almost viciously he
added: "And I'm going to keep on telling her."

Virginia rose, her face flushed. With some spirit she cried:

"No--you're not!"

"Who's going to stop me?" he demanded.

"I am," she said firmly. "I'm doing what I think is right and you're