ntional to
know how to got the best out of life. But still--Greenriver's my home,
and I thought we should learn to settle down here."

"And I've prevented you?"

"Well, you've never hit it off with the people, have you? And after this
I don't see how we can settle down. I'm not going to have people
neglecting my wife or being rude to her, but still this Badminton Club
affair is a pretty big slap in the face for both of us."

Toni, resting her small chin on the cup of her hollowed hands, stared at
him thoughtfully, and in her eyes, still wet with tears, he caught again
that elusive hint of a tragic womanhood which had puzzled him on a
former occasion.

"Eva was right," she said, and her voice was low. "She said I was out of
place here, and so I am."

"Mrs. Herrick said that?" Owen's anger suddenly swung round. "Then it
was a damned silly thing to say, and I'm surprised you listened to it."

"But she was right. She said everyone wondered why you married me; and
now that I have seen Lady Saxonby, I wonder too."

Owen's heart sank.

"Toni, what do you mean?"

"I mean that I understand now. Lady Saxonby was the woman you were to
have married. She is very beautiful," said Toni simply. "And she would
have been the right mistress for Greenriver. I can't understand how it
was you married me. Eva said--when we were driving home--that it must
have been pique. She said you wanted to show the other woman you did not
care ... and when I thought about it, I saw that it was true."

"Toni, it wasn't true." All thought of personal anger was swallowed up
in Owen's sudden longing to convince the girl that Eva had lied. "I
married you because"--in spite of himself he faltered--"because I loved
you. What if Vivian did treat me badly? I was well out of it, since she
was a woman of that kind."

"Oh, I don't mind--now," said Toni, with a faint smile. "I did at first.
When Lady Martin and Mrs. Madgwick said it, last summer, I thought my
heart would break; but I suppose I got used to the idea, and when I saw
Lady Saxonby to-day I knew it was just one of the things that no one can
help."

Owen, not understanding her, only stared.

"You see, I knew all the time it wasn't likely, really, that you would
care for me," said Toni quietly. "I tried to make myself believe you
did, but I don't think I ever _really_ believed it. Only I was so fond
of you--you were so kind--and when we were married you were so good to
me that I began to hope