onservative. To have and to hold, to get
and keep, to stand pat with both eyes shut--that's the average woman in
this town. And Joe had to play her.

"And because he still had a soul in him--and a stomach that turned--he
began to vary the dulness of it by becoming sensational. He did daring
things, cheap daring things--no real originality in it, but it took on
and caught the eye. Pictures of his buildings got into the real estate
pages of the Sunday papers. He hired a press agent then and went after
the publicity. And all I need to tell you of that, is that just the
other day the press agent came into the office with a scheme for a
string of buildings up on the new part of the Drive. They were to be
patriotic--see?--named after the presidents of our country--cheap and
showy terra-cotta--main effect red, white and blue." Ethel leaned back
with a little gasp. But Nourse added relentlessly, "And Joe didn't turn
him down."

She stiffened sharply in her chair and looked at Nourse with indignant
eyes, as though he alone were to blame.

"You mean to say my husband could even consider such a plan?"

"Why not? There's money in it--big--the publicity value would be
immense. It would make his name a joke of course, with every architect
in town--but think of all the talk, free ads! And that means tenants
pouring in--and money! Don't you like it? She would have--your sister
would, I mean. It was just such a scheme on a smaller scale that made
her send for me one day and tell me I could keep hands off or else get
out of the office. I gave in because I couldn't go--I couldn't quite
make up my mind to the fact that Joe was done for. So I stuck--and she
tried to break me--again and again. But Joe, for all the change in him,
had a loyal streak not only for me but for all he had once meant to do.
Even still he kept saying he'd just put it off, and that when he'd got
the money he'd turn back and we'd begin.

"And when his wife died, I began to have hope. The only blot on her
funeral was the fact that you were there--and you told me you intended
to stay. Her sister--the same story. I soon shook that off,
however--for I saw the way he turned to his work as a refuge from his
grief for her. I had my chance and I took it. When his mind was dull
and numb I began to slip in changes. And each change meant better work
and less easy money. And soon I was making headway fast; for Joe had
never cared for money for himself, but only for her--and s