e he did not go to several stores for prices.
He knew, in the first place, what he should pay, and the business
men, especially the hardware and implement dealers, were afraid of his
knowledge, and still more of his influence.

About Rose, too, there was a poise, an atmosphere of background which
inspired respect above her station. When Mrs. Wade said anything, her
statement was apt to settle the matter, for on those subjects which she
discussed at all, she was an authority, and on those which she was not,
her training in Martin's household had taught her to maintain a wise
silence. The stern self-control had stolen something of the tenderness
from her lips. There were other changes. The sunlight had faded from
her hair; the once firm white neck was beginning to lose its resilience.
Deep lines furrowed her cheeks from mouth to jaw, and fine wrinkles had
slipped into her forehead. There were delicate webs of them about her
patient eyes, under which lack of sleep and overwork had left their
brown shadows. Since the birth of her baby she had become much heavier
and though she was still neat, her dresses were always of dark colors
and made up by herself of cheap materials. For, while she bought without
consulting Martin, her privilege of discretion was confined within
strict and narrow limits. He kept a meticulous eye on all her cancelled
checks and knew to a penny what she spent. If he felt a respect for her
thrift it was completely unacknowledged. They worked together with as
little liking, as little hatred, as two oxen pulling a plow.

It had been a wise day for both, thought Fallon, when they had decided
to marry--they were so well mated. What a model and enviable couple they
were! To Rose it seemed the essence of irony that her life with Martin
should be looked upon as a flower of matrimony. Yet, womanlike, she took
an unconfessed comfort in the fact that this was so--that no one, unless
it were Nellie, was sufficiently astute to fathom the truth. To be sure,
the Wades were never spoken of as "happy." They were invariably alluded
to as "good folks," "true blue," "solid people," "ideal husband and
wife," or "salt of the earth."

Each year they gave a round sum to the church, and Martin took caustic
gratification in the fact that, although his attitude toward it and
religion was well known, he too was counted as one of the fold. To
do its leaders justice, he admitted that this might have been partly
through their hesit