ld hear
herself saying what she should have said to Joe:

"I may have been wrong about it, Joe, but I thought the best way to
bring you back to all the things you used to love was to let you think
_you_ were doing it. So I let you and Dwight come together alone. I
kept in the background, as I did about getting you into that club of
yours. I was afraid to show my hand." On and on she talked to him. Oh,
how simple and convincing, strong, and sensible and true. "Why didn't
you say it, you little fool? You acted just like a scared young girl
found out in doing something wrong!" She was ready to cry, but checked
herself. "At least don't be a baby now. What are you to do about it?"
She bit her lip. Now it was too late. She had made it worse--a hundred
times! All at once she rose and began to walk. "Oh, rubbish!" she
thought, impatiently. "You're not to give up, when everything else in
your whole life was going so perfectly splendidly! . . . Why, of
course. That's it. I'll call up Nourse, and have him come and explain
to Joe how I went to him at the very start."

With a swift feeling of relief Ethel went to the telephone.

"Mr. Nourse is out of town."

"Oh, yes. Thank you. I'd forgotten. When do you expect him back?"

"Not until the end of the week."

As Ethel hung up the receiver she felt a little faint and queer. When
Joe came back this evening she would have to face him alone! In vain
she angrily told herself that it only needed common sense. The picture
of his tired face, nerves all on edge, rose in her mind. The way his
jealousy had flared up! No, it would not be easy! She might even--fail
with him! At the thought, a foolish panic came. More walking was
required. . . . She heard Susette beginning her supper, and she went
in and sat with the child. And at first that worked out very well.
Soon she was smiling and listening to the ceaseless chatter of the small
girl. But suddenly Ethel exclaimed to herself, "Suppose I do fail,
after all! If there's a divorce he'll take them both!" She jumped up in
a frightened way, and went into her bedroom. She threw herself sobbing
on the bed--but in a few minutes regained control with an effort and lay
there motionless. The tangle was growing clearer now.

The very best she could hope was to make Joe half believe her, she
thought. And that would mean she would have to drop Dwight and all
chance of meeting those people he knew. She would live with a Joe so
suspicious that she would