y, when did you do it?"

"Mornings--on my mysterious errands that vexed you so. I kept my old
room at Mrs. Biggs's, and went there to work."

"Oh!" said Jerry, with colour slowly rising.

"Yes; simpler than you thought. The day you met Martin and me, he was
taking me to a publishers' office. This is their letter to me."

She gave it to him and he read it through carefully. When he looked up
she saw that he was excited.

"Do I congratulate you? Is that what a man does who suddenly finds
himself possessed of a wife with a well-developed career?"

"I'm sorry you hate it so, Jerry."

"Hate it? Not at all. But it is a bit upsetting to know that you've been
fooled about some one for years."

"I offered to tell you, the day we were married, but you refused to
listen; you said you would take my ambitions and ideas on faith, if I
would yours."

"Well, but I didn't know you had a secret like this up your sleeve."

"I risked your secrets, too, Jerry."

"There's nothing for me to do but to get used to it. I suppose you can't
be induced to give it up now."

"Could you be induced to give up painting?"

"I'm not a married woman with a child."

"But you are a human being, with something to express, aren't you?"

"I suppose so."

"So am I. Being a woman, the fact that I am married, that I have a
child, gives me more to say. Everything that enriches my life makes it
more impossible for me to be dumb. Isn't that true with you, too,
Jerry?"

"It's different with me; creation happens to be my job--my livelihood."

"So it must be mine, some day, although that isn't the ideal way.
Earning a living by some other means, or having it provided and then
creating what your spirit urges you to do, that's the ideal."

"But you had that before you married me, according to your story."

"Yes. But I had nothing vital to say."

"But if I provide the vitality and the livelihood," bitterly.

"Jerry, that is the only unfair and unkind thing I ever heard you say."

"I'm sorry, Jane, but all this is rather a blow, you know. I don't
believe in women having careers after they are married. I always said I
would never marry a woman artist."

"Granted that you have been deceived in me, Jerry. Whether that is your
fault or mine is of no importance. Have I made you a reasonably
satisfactory wife, considering the kind of marriage we made?"

"I suppose so."

"No, that's not fair. Do I make your home comfortable?"

"Of course."

"Do