go right on with Dwight if you wish. All I'm asking is a
square deal."

"But she'll ask and ask," thought Ethel. "She'll ask of me anything she
wants. And she'll get me so tangled in other lies that then I wouldn't
have even a chance of making Joe see how things really are."

This thought cleared her mind a little.

"No," she said. "You can tell him."

"What!"

Ethel looked down at her hands in her lap, and noticed how tightly
they were clenched. She smiled at them.

"Tell him."

"You're sure of that?"

Ethel nodded.

"Very well!"

"She's uneasy," thought Ethel, "and disappointed--not sure of herself.
I've done the right thing."

But as in almost perfect silence they sat waiting for Joe to come home,
her decision wavered again and again, and it took all her courage to
hold herself in. She made occasional trite remarks, and received
replies of the same kind. On them both the tension was growing.

"This means everything to you, too, Fanny, dear!" Ethel reflected
viciously. "If Joe believes me--you're done for!"

At each slight stir that Fanny made, Ethel hoped she had lost her
courage and was getting ready to go. But Fanny stayed And as she sat
there motionless, what a strong figure she grew to be, moment by moment,
in Ethel's eyes--strong in spite of the life she led, of clothes, rich
feeding, drinking, dancing, old age swiftly coming on. Strong
nevertheless, in an odious way, in the loathsome point of view of her
world toward love and marriage. It had set her to prying and handed her
here--with these papers in her hands! That was her way of looking at
life, and a mighty strong way it appeared!

Suddenly Ethel's eye was caught by Amy's photograph on the table. By
degrees in the last few months Joe had ceased to notice it there. But
how he would notice it now, very soon, as soon as he'd read what Fanny
had brought. For Amy had taught Joe long ago to be jealous, never too
sure of a wife.

"So Amy is here again, after all. . . . I wonder what I shall say to
Joe? . . . Oh, rubbish! Use more common sense! All I've got to do
is to make him see why I never told him about Dwight. It was only part
of that plan I had. But what a fool! Oh, what a fool!"

When at last Joe's key was heard in the door, both women leaned slowly
forward, as though the strain were unbearable. And then as Joe came
into the hall, Fanny said suddenly, sharp and clear:

"No, I won't keep quiet! Joe has got to be told of this!" Ethel w