The Avalanche

heard his mother-in-law's voice and she was the last person he wished to meet until he was in a position to te

xclaimed passionately. "I tr

was not until he had taken a cold shower and was

er. And the poor child had been afraid to confide in him, to ask him for mon

rself. True, she was French and took naturally to diplomatic wiles; true, also, the instinct of self-preservation in e

above entombing them, if the fates were kind. But it saddened him to think that his wife should be rushed to maturity along the devio

e was no mark of agitation on her little oval face under its proudly carried crown of heavy braids. She was looking very lovely in a severe black velvet go

ntly. "It can't be true t

go with you everywhere f

your mother's voic

ow heavenly that you will always go with me." Her voice shook a lit

to the library? We

ain about her neck. The chain was long and the great jewel took a dee

wear it to-night? That

last great n

re to mount guard. You s

to go out

al self-possession. "I am even more delighted than I was yesterday, for at the fête there wi

the taxi he put

nd not going out when I cannot go with you? I'll

row rigid. "Reasons? You

course, they are F.F.C.'s, and all the rest of it, but if I ever drove up to the Club House in

sty mixed drink. And although I have had my cigarette afte

r some perverse reason in my mind; but-well, you really

to the large affairs. Mr

nt to-

ory is founded upon it, and it is almost a matter of principle to replace de

her body did not relax. She added graciously: "After all, the

to guard her merely in the evening? It

d always understood that the ways of matrimonial diplomacy were strewn with pitf

have worried me. You are so generous. Society here as elsewhere has its parasites, its dead beats, trying to limp along by borrowing, gambling, 'amusing

d occasionally-to the girls, when their allowance runs out be

t stop to listen, but it occurred to me that she may have been gambling in stocks, or have got i

rofile against the passing street lights was as

r tried to borrow a penny of me, and she is the last person on earth to gamble in stocks or any thing else. Or to buy land except on exper

that I heard her reproach you for having broke

in the dusk of the car he could not be sure. His wife,

, all the same. Maman has been at me lately to persuade you to let her have the ruby for a week. She is

who, I could swear, was

re she would rather tell the truth than lie. It was evident that she had no intention of lowering her barriers, and he

r intrigue nor mystery in his home, but a serene happiness founded upon perfect confidence. He found it impossible to remain appalled o

, and felt its chi

ntioned it," he murmured. "For, o

ill ask again. It hurts me to refuse dear maman anything. Her devotio

rl of your sort, does not make any call up

*

ached by an almost perpendicular flight of wooden steps. They were late and the company had assembled: the Thorntons, Tre

s, and the Thorntons and Trennahans had not rebuilt, preferring, like many othe

as great a sensation as the soul of woman could desire. Even the older people floc

ything so perfectly dandy and wonderful! I'd go sim

nvy, or pretend indifference, looked at the great b

emanded. "It would be far more suitable-a magni

laid eyes on the thing before, or on one like

te? You should have thought of it years ago

iara of emeralds and diamonds; she was looking very handsome and very regal. Thornton was a thin, dark, nervous wisp of a man, who had borne his share of the burdens laid

She was one of those women of dazzling white skin, black hair and blue eyes, who, when wise, n

n he met on these occasions as well as he did many of the older ones; the serious ones would not waste their time on society, and there were too many of the sort who were asked everywhere because they had made a cult of fashion, whether t

, and only tolerated them in his own house when his wif

er guessed that he made the best part of his income at bridge, possibly poker. He lived with two other men in a handsome apartment in one of the new build

ng microbe settled down in Harry Doremus' veins, and shortly after his son was born he engaged his favorite room at the Cliff House and blew out his brains. His wife was left with a large house, which as a last act of grace he had forb

s nineteen and as highly developed a snob as her maternal heart had planned. Knowing that he must support himself eventually, he was determined to begin his business career at once, and believed, with some truth, that there was a pre

wo other young fellows, whose fathers were rich, but old-fashioned enough to insist that their sons should work. Nick did most of the work. His partners,

hat his social services,-he played and sang and often entertained exacting groups throughout an entire evening-his fetching and carrying for one rich old lady, accounted for his ability to keep out of debt and pay for his many

ly. "Hate men too well dressed. Looks as if he posed for tailors' ads in the weeklies. Never could stand the social parasite anyhow

ason, but I'd have passed few winters here if it hadn't been for the work we all had

d deceit? He longed impatiently for the decisive interview with Spaulding on the morrow. Then, at least he could prepare for action, and, after all, even of more importance now than w