lara says. And it's quite time
for us to begin being practical. Think of being rid of all those
horrid debts! You don't seem to understand what a weight they've been
on me."

"I think I do understand, dear. But it will be different now, because
we know that if we're careful for a while we can clean them all up.
Radbourne seems a good man to work for and maybe this job will develop
into something better. And I'll be doing work on the side for Dick for
a while. It won't be so long before the debts will melt away. Then
we'll have the satisfaction of knowing we did it by ourselves, without
any one's help. We'll have proved ourselves, don't you see?"

"That's more sentiment. I can't see anything so awful in going to Aunt
Clara's. It would be just a visit, such as any one would make. It
wouldn't be for so very long, and it would do us all good. I would
have a fine rest, and the change would be good for you, too. You could
read and work in the evenings with no one to bother you. And you'd
have a fine chance to see all your old men friends."

"It isn't the men I want to see just now. Shirley, dear--" He was
pleading now. "Shirley, dear, I-- You see, it's cost me a little, a
good deal maybe--letting my profession go and taking up work that
isn't--isn't so very interesting and is for another man. It'll be a
little hard--just for a while of course, until I get used to the idea.
And I'd like to have you here with me. Don't you see, dear--I need
you."

But the plea failed. With a sharp sinking of his heart he saw her
pretty brow wrinkle in an impatient frown.

"I don't see at all. I should think, if the position is such a good
one, you'd be glad you've taken it. And you ought to be glad to think
of Davy Junior and me out at Aunt Clara's instead of moping around a
cheap dingy flat or boarding-house."

"You mean," he tried to keep his voice steady, "you _want_ to go?
You'd really rather--aside from saving money?"

"Want to! I'm wild to go. Of course, I'll be homesick for you, but
all husbands and wives expect to be apart sometimes on vacations and
trips and--oh, David, can't you see? It's been so long since I've had
any really good times and I'm hungry for them--starving. And out there
at Aunt Clara's, where you don't have to think of money all the time--
Why, you couldn't--it isn't like you to be so selfish as to refuse me
that."

He said no more. He sat fumbling with a napkin, his eyes cast down