Ladies Must Live

er New Year's Day. This is equivalent to saying that the hal

turned toward hidden social availability very much as the douser's hazel wand turns toward the hidden spring. When she crossed the room to speak to some woman after dinner, whatever that woman's social position might formerly have bee

ver the situation than the barometer has over the weather. She merely

The fact that for years her friends had been the small group of the momentarily fashionable required, in her eyes, no explanation. So si

stic and romantic troubles of her friends; she sat up till the small hours, talking to them like a schoolgirl; during the height of their careers she or

some account of a newly discovered treasure-a beauty or a conversable young man-she would always say: "Oh, yes, I crossed with her two years ago," or "Isn't he a dear?-he was once in Jack's o

as therefore like

or Nancy Almar-that she was very handsome and that she was not a hypocrite, no more than a pirate is a hypocrite who comes

but everything she did say, she most poignantly meant. If, while you were talking to her, she suddenly cried out: "Ah, that's really good!" there was n

at she had married him. She hated him because he was a h

aid to her as she was

her

plain to them why

n of Mr. Almar's coming, and she turne

would not have

ot seem

hat I'm called So

furs about her throat; and then foreseeing a comic moment

d as her word-

drawing-room fire, she asked without

ar Roland's explanation o

e young man; and as soon as he had spoken, he glanced hastil

covery, something unknown and Bohemian, but alas, a day or two before, she had observed that underlying his socialistic theories was an aching desire for social recognition. He liked to tell his bejeweled hostesses about his frie

ked wherever I am," and then turning to Laura Ussher she added

ou never allow him to co

as blond and some years younger than Mrs. Almar, perhaps it

of the truth of the observation that a married woman's greatest charm is her husband, he is also in the most practical sense a disadvantage; he does sometimes stand across the road of advance

m a technical college, had invented a process in the manufacture of rubber that had brought him a fortune before he was thirty. He was now engaged in spending it on aviation experiments. He was

ne should marry money. This man, Max Riatt, new to the fashionable world, ought to be comparatively easy game. The thing ought to go on wheels. B

rhaps Wickham, who was dangerously ignorant of the world in which he was moving, doubted for one moment that Miss Fenimer had resolved to marry Max Riatt,

ve invited Mrs. Almar to this party; but though a warm friend to Christine F

success; and that was the fact that Edward Hickson, her brother, had wanted for several years to marry Christine. Hickson was a dull, kindly, fairly well-to-d

ing an adoring foil. Don't let Christine grind your face i

ice," he had answered, "if y

would have been doing the girl injustice

Mrs. Almar rose simultaneously. It was almost time for the arrival of Riatt, and neith

quarter past eight, my

took a hand. Riatt's train was late, whereas Christine's clock was fast

ollowing the footman with his bags, when suddenly looking up the broad flight he saw a blond vision in white and pearls coming slowly down. He hoped that his lower jaw ha

said, very gently. "You kn

ere wise enough to be able t

ht be

ot," he answe

sm

soon as you come

quick abou

ress down. She felt that her future had been

uld be absolutely impossible. She recalled certain great fortunes with repulsive owners, which some of her friends had accepted. For herself she had always intended to have everything-love and mon

ven this could not mar the dazzling reflection. The only object on which she looked with dissatisfaction was her string of pearls; they were imitation. She thought

r came down at this moment, and soon Hickson, and th

ough Christine fancied as she studied him that she would alter his style of collars.

ne, about whom I've talked so m

side her, when the door opened and, last of all, Mrs. Almar came in. She was wearing her flame-color and lilac dress. Christine knew she w

aid, "where i

opened it for her; but by speaking just when and where she did, she forced him to get up from Christine's side, and come

dinner, Cousin

Wickham, who suffered from the fatal ten

r looked

o me?" she asked. "It c

inward, so that her hand, if not actually pressed, was made to feel secure u

her black head

ific," she said, "or I

gently. They were crossing the hall, a

ed, "you do move rath

or, you see,"

while she put up with Hickson, but she was feeling as any honest

Nancy's ought not to prevail; she seated herself on Ma

hristine is an angel?" she said,

inly looks

m his other side. She had had this sort of t

her lean

g that Christine lo

im and made a ver

strong for angels?"

met one

't met one

ou're not an ang

orably known as the wick

iss Fenimer is

n't lik

n angel, doesn't mean dislike. As a matter of fa

n and was aware of the

he wondered, had

is she engaged t

rstood by every one except my brother, that if she doesn't find a

of disgust for both ladie

nd turned to Mrs. Ussher, but Nan

an should suddenly appear upon the scene and show an interest in the angelic Christine." (By this time Riatt had turned again to her, and she looked straight into hi

disagreeable to you

escribed him, the process w

was no denying he

across the table had reach

said as th

do you think of

l irritation appea

answered, "but, watching your sister's attentions t

oked a lit

es not mean anything whe

estimate of her companion's intelligence, for in her opinion Nancy'

she's so nice to him is to keep him

attering to

do you

ke a woman take an interest in you is t

at-" Hickson began, b

And she turned to Wickham,

for a little notice

one hand, you are wearing round your throat the equivalent of life, health and virtue for half a hundred working girls, as young, as hu

ace fall, "you can say that same thing to your friend Mrs. Almar, because hers are not artificial, though I have heard her assert sometimes that they are," a

ncy bring this Wickham man her

ered her brother innocently. "

had a weakness for blond boys, and last week she was crazy about this one. Now she has turne

explanation for it. The girl was annoyed at having been forced to

ou misunderstood me just now. My standards are probably different from those of the men you are ac

I'm not." And this time he underst

ng on playing bridge. She had an excellent head for cards, and always needed money. Christine allowed herself to be drawn

was to the casual manners of polite society, consoled himself with an evening paper

," she said, "what y

very playful band of cut-throats, and next time you ask

*

ost every strain, except that of early rising. No one dreamed of co

sheet of snow beneath which lay the garden, and the other totally different sheet of snow beneath which was the soil in which Ussher intended next summer to plant a rose garden. He had gone over, tree by tree, the plantati

hen the Club owns a huge tract, and then there's some state land. You see we hav

live

precarious sort of existence, his-gambling in mining stocks, almost always in wr

d Riatt rather coldly. "It'

dn't imagine what he should provide for them for the afternoon, so that his tho

the profoundest attention to something Wickham was saying. She had suddenly wakened to the fact that he was having a wretched time and that he was after all her guest. But he interpreted her actions differently, and supp

tlook on life. If you say 'she dresses well,' you intend a compliment, but to me it is just the reverse.

y dear," whisp

?" answered Nancy,

he was your

telegraphed him not to accept the invita

he think y

couldn't tr

ned at ea

went in to lunch, and there manoeuvering fo

to do, and before she had time to answer he had suggested that she skate, take a walk, or go sleighing with him. Ussher

r. Mr. Fenimer was known to be rather an irritable parent where questions of his own comfort were concerned; it was not impossible that he would make himself disagreeable if his orders were not carried out. Laura did not inquire very

Christine over to her own place to get somet

ct he didn't. He might even have enjoyed the prospect, if

ng, you kno

d his cousin. "But surely, Max, you're n

oblige you, L

ne, but felt she might safely

objects in the huge page of cloudy sky at once caught Max's eye. He came and bent over it and her, with his hands in his pockets. Still absorbed in it, she half-unconsciously swept aside her skirts, and he sat down beside her. She murm

Max?" said Laura

to do his duty," murmured

heavy gloves, warned him about the charmingly uncertain character of th

nd them, the horse fast, the roads well packed. Riatt glanced down at his love

expedition. Because it was extremely wicked of me to forget my father's coat, and

to tak

re was no one else. Jack is much too selfish, and I wouldn't have gone with that Wickham pers

kson?" Riatt asked. "W

ar told you about h

me himself in every look a

tine

iled

glad of it

n I care

about that, but you're

utterly

ther woman came and took h

cried Christine, in a t

laugh

e a man with no more trouble and anxiety than she would expend on refusing a dinner invitation; whereas men, with all their vaunted courage, are absolut

looked at him

exaggerate

his hea

that any man would rather marry any woman than refuse her to her face. Y

mmediately. I couldn't bear to think of your going about a prey to the first woman

plet

lmly rational, the passionate whirlwind, the dangerously controlled, or volcano under a shee

dmit to knowing all a

e been folly

tenest. Let us begin with that. Now you are to suppose that I, with tears streaming down my fac

g part of the lesson, and you go so fast. I have no imaginatio

to cry?" sa

bated th

ars, but everything else you must act out. Particu

teach you what to do, if I

just give me a sketch

o talk a great deal about yourself, and tell how wicked and human and splendid you are, and that you are not worthy of a simple, good girl like myself, an

oubtfully a

ut and walk h

. Suppose we do the calmly rational first. I explain to you that I have watched you

here's really no use in

lty with any lady who ap

the others that sound

e passionate whirlwind?

ristine found herse

nd shaking her head, "that's very difficult,

an arithmetic class that long division could not be imitated. I believe the trouble with you is that you don't understand the passionate whirlwind y

had the better of her

hing this sub

nk you are. But if you s

oked about her, and was more diverted from th

so busy talking that she really had no idea how far they had been, it took he

the road to your own house, were volunteeri

verse criticism was unp

to it; and she answer

erstand your embarrassment through the at

der the impression that he was going home. But for the drivers, the change was not so agreeable. A high wind had come up, the snow was fa

Riatt, "I think we

did want to get her father's coat, but she was not indifferent to the triumph of making Riatt late for

the gaiety had gone out of their little expedition. They

back, Miss Fenime

d," she added with a fine sense of filial obligatio

th her muff held up to her face, was not maki

ouse is?" he asked. His tone was not flatt

f the year?" she returned. "Of course

house had disappeared from its accustomed place. But as they came over the crest, there it was, in a ho

" said Riatt. "The

keys to th

hey went jingling down the slope, in between the almost comp

, jumped out, and from the recesses of her muff

?" said Riatt, with more of comm

more nearly just to say that she never intended to allow any man to do so until she herself became persuaded that he co

him and smiled wi

," she replied, and so saying, she turne

ly reduced to asking Riatt to help her. He did not volunteer his assistance. S

, and when he saw her stationed there, he sprang ou

its hoofs; the next instant, it had thrown its head in the air, and started at full speed down the road, dragging the empty sleigh after it. Riatt, who had his back turned, did not see the beginning of the incident, but a cry from Christine soon roused his attention, and he started in pursuit, ca

the snow to his waist at every step. Chr

ephone in the h

ook he

ected when we lea

ce, then she said question

an do," he returned; "go int

stine he

time doing that," she said, "if you ha

uite impossible. It must be every inch of ten miles, it's dark, a bliz

, "suppose they don'

w," answered Riatt, and he w