rstand it better than her father, who, she
could see, sometimes inwardly resented it as neglect. She also exacted
of Maxwell that he should not sit silent through a whole meal at the
hotel, and that, if he did not or could not talk, he should keep looking
at her, and smiling and nodding, now and then. If he would remember to
do this she would do all the talking herself. Sometimes he did not
remember, and then she trod on his foot in vain.

The droll side of the case often presented itself for her relief, and,
after all, she knew beforehand that this was the manner of man she was
marrying, and she was glad to marry him. She was happier than she had
ever dreamed of being. She was one of those women who live so largely in
their sympathies that if these were employed she had no thought of
herself, and not to have any thought of one's self is to be blessed.
Maxwell had no thought of anything but his work, and that made his
bliss; if she could have no thought but of him in his work, she could
feel herself in Heaven with him.

VII.

July and August went by, and it was time for Godolphin to take the road
again. By this time Maxwell's play was in as perfect form as it could be
until it was tried upon the stage and then overhauled for repairs.
Godolphin had decided to try it first in Toronto, where he was going to
open, and then to give it in the West as often as he could. If it did as
well as he expected he would bring it on for a run in New York about the
middle of December. He would want Maxwell at the rehearsals there, but
for the present he said he preferred to stage-manage it himself; they
had talked it up so fully that he had all the author's intentions in
mind.

He came over from Manchester the day before his vacation ended to take
leave of the Maxwells. He was in great spirits with the play, but he
confessed to a misgiving in regard to the lady whom he had secured for
the part of Salome. He said there was only one woman he ever saw fit to
do that part, but when he named the actress the Maxwells had to say
they had never heard of her before. "She is a Southerner. She is very
well known in the West," Godolphin said.

Louise asked if she had ever played in Boston, and when he said she had
not, Louise said "Oh!"

Maxwell trembled, but Godolphin seemed to find nothing latent in his
wife's offensive tone, and after a little further talk they all parted
on the friendliest terms. The Maxwells did not hear from him