ny at the Falkners's, with a novel turned down where their attention had relaxed, chatting and sewing. Isabelle found Bessie Falkner "cunning," "amusing," "odd," and always "charming." S

and their households, they filled the morning hours with long tales about people they had known,-"Did you ever hear of the Dysarts in St. Louis? Sallie Dysart was a great belle,-she had no end of affairs, and then she married Paul Potter. The Potters were very well-known people in Philadelphia, etc." Thus they gratified their cur

r hair still? ... Mrs. Griscom came from Kentucky,-very old family. Tom Griscom, their only son, went to Harvard,-he was very wild. He's disappeared since.... Ye

us, black-haired young lawyer with his deep-s

the best chances. He ran for Congress two years ago on the Democratic ticket, and just failed. He is going to try again thi

he think of

d her shoulder

in Torso last year. Tom was very polite to him, elaborately polite; but he left town very soon, and she seemed dazed.... I guess she ha

l the romance of unbridled passion. "He sends to Alaba

! Oh, m

her fault-she c

ch the worse for the women if they happened to be tied to men they could not "hold." Isabelle, remembering on one occasion the flashing eyes of the Kentuckian, his pass

usbands, both admiring, both hilariously amus

him, with his tastes, poor boy. But I don't know what I can do about it. When he c

ict economy, even after the hardware business paid enormous profits. This thrift was in her blood. Bessie had said to Rob that Isabelle was "close." But Isabelle only lau

probably likes to work hard for you,-

man worth his salt would like to gratify her innocent tastes. Probably Falkner couldn't endure a less charming woman for his wife. So she condoned, as one does with a clever child, all the little manifestations of waywardness and selfishness that she was too

ahead,-nothing beyond the pleasant luncheon, the attractive house, her adorable Isabelle. "I always tell Rob when he is blue that his cha

p to the hotel and solved her doubts about the rich suitor. In Colorado she had known men whose fortunes came over night, "millions and mi

is doing excellent work,-Mr. Fre

is job next week! Sometimes I wish he would

orner of the earth into which to put down roots, than a way-station in the drama and mystery of life. Confident in their husbands' ability to achieve Success,

*

course in art and sociology. They attended one of the lectures in the Normal School building, and laughed furtively in their muffs at "Madam President" o

sie summed u

" Isabelle agr

preacher. Isabelle's religious views were vague, broad, liberal, and unvital. Bessie's were simpler, but scarcely more effective. Lane took a lively interest in the railroad Y.M.C.A., which he believed to be helpful for young men. He himself had been a member in St. Louis and had used the gymnasium. Isabelle got up an entertainment for the Hungarian children, which was ended by a disastrous thunders

hings, I suppose. It ought to be

way to help in the world was to help one's self, to become useful to others by becoming important in the community,-a comfortable p

oor,-can't think of going away for the summer, and poor Bessie needs it and the children. I meant t

hook h

in St. Louis when they begin work on the new termin

a dear, and would enjoy pretty things so much!

r man, then?" Lane deman

d him, silly! She

tence, kissing his wife instead. "She's rather

ll learn

t I can for hi

fate settled; John, like her father,

*

, listening to threads of gossip that had been broken by her exile to Torso. She discovered an unexpected avidity for diversion, and felt almost ashamed to enjoy people so keenly, to miss

-John says I mustn't spend another summer there.... I hope we ca

find Torso

ide-tracked all his life in a little Indiana town. Don't

lonel

eak to them, if

ything about it,"

f Torso?" he asked,

o the theatre; to be near old friends," she explained apol

dear! We want y

ems so out of the world, so second-c

class," the Colonel admi

don't believe he will

nd it was only natural that she should aspire to something better than Torso-for the present, St. Louis. So the Colonel

n or ask to be transferred; but you must understand, dear, that whatever is

"I don't see why you should object. Every o

er to wait. The man who uses leas

ation to live up to his wife, having won her from a superior position. Like a chivalrous American gentleman he was not aggrieved because even during the first two years of marriage, he-their life together-was not enough to satisfy his wife. He did not r

at demanded much of life for satisfaction and adjustment. He plunged into his affairs with an added grip, an unconscious feeling th