."

"I will never go back."

"It is your duty to do so."

"I cannot, and will not."

"Then, Mrs. Kink, I am afraid the blame of this domestic broil
lies on your shoulders quite as much as on those of your husband.
Woman is the weaker vessel. Her duty is to endure."

"And a separation--"

"That is legal only, and unless you can show very good cause why
it should be granted, it may be refused. Has your husband beaten
you?"

"No, but he has spoken to me--"

"Words break no bones. I don't think words would be considered. I
can't say; I'm no lawyer. But remember--even if separated by law,
in the sight of God you would still be one."

Mehetabel left, little cheered.

As she walked slowly back along the high-road, she was caught up
by Betsy Cheel.

"Halloo!" said this woman; "where have you been?"

Mehetabel told her.

"Want to be separated from Jonas, do you? I'm not surprised. I
always thought him a bad fellow, but I doubt if he's worse than my
man, Jamaica."

After a while she said: "We'll walk together. Then we can chat.
It's dull going over the Common alone. I've been selling eggs in
Milford. They're won'erful dear now; nine a shillin'; but the hens
feel the cold, and don't lay this time of the year much. How's
the child? You didn't ort to be carryin' it about in this weather
and at this time o' the year."

"I have nowhere that I can leave it, and its only home is against
my heart, in my arms."

"You've run away?"

"Yes; I shall not go back to Jonas."

"I don't call that sense," said Bessy. "If you run away, run away
with some one who'll take care of you. That's what I did. My first
husband--well, I don't know as he was a proper husband. He called
me names, and took the stick to me when drunk; so I went off with
Jamaica. That I call reasonable. Ain't you got no one to run away
with?"

Mehetabel did not answer. She hastened her pace--she did not
relish association with the woman. "I'd have run away from Jamaica
scores o' times," continued Mrs. Cheel, "only I ain't so young as
I once as, and so the opportunities don't come. There's the pity. I
didn't start and leave him when I was good-looking and fresh. I
might have done better then. If you think a bad, cross-crabbed man
will mend as he grows older, you make a mistake. They grow wusser.
So you're right to leave Jonas. Only you've gone about in the wrong
way. There's Iver Verstage. I've heard talk about him and you. He
don't live such a terribl