Ladies Must Live

before they had first met-toward the drawing-room where their great anno

ve the supreme cruelty,

t our engagement

oughtfully, "which in the end would deceive h

man," said Riatt. "I a

u are-until

ng to be until

t strange," she remarked, "that you dislike so much the idea of my try

process, I should re

more significant confession of weakness. Who is it is most

ant to be made love to. That's one of the mistakes women are always mak

disagreeable again," she said with the so

my question," he said.

n the

she added brightly, "I shall do what I can to alleviate his sufferings. I shall tell him that I am not in the least

tention is the same," repli

in telling him that," she answer

, "I think you're the v

them was eminently suited to their purpose. Laura and Ussher were standing at the table watching th

istine, "could I have

l conversation with her cousin. He had seemed to her absolutely immovable, but t

agerness she was already at the d

ll enough my friends to be interested-even Mr. Wickham. Max and I wan

makes 387, Mr. Wickham," she said, and then she looked up with her bright, piercing eyes, in time to see Laura fling herself enthusiastically into R

think I'm getting far m

ist

got it yet, darling,

lmost like a t

e line of a

fe hands; Laura would not allow Nancy an instant alone with him. Nor, as a matter of fact, was Riatt himself eager to subject himself to the cross-examination of that keen and contemptuous intelligence. Indeed Nancy soon drifted out of the room, and Riatt found himself committed to a long tête-à-tête with Laura on the subject of Christine's perfections, and h

uccumbed only to the irresistible. Before very long Christine came back, and taking in what had been going on, managed to

aid crossly, "how intensely dis

unce the death sentence is gay in comparison. Cheer up. I haven't had a pleasant fifteen minutes myself. I neve

ll make you an e

you anyhow. I said that you had made me this magnificent offer, prompted, I felt sure, by the purest chivalry; and that I felt I owed it to my family, my friends and my

e make one thing clear to you. Any effort on your part to create an impres

ite unabashed by

me, only I realize that there is a possibility for either of us, and of t

en I tell you that as soon as I have seen your father, got your ring, an

hat!" cried Christi

glect my legitimate business on a

her steadily. Then Christine said politely: "Well, we'll see how things go." He knew, however, that s

sts, jokes, congratulations and a few stabs from Nan

d her motor on account of the snow, going in by a noonday train. Already, it seemed to Riatt that the bonds of ma

r. The interview was to take place at Mr. Fenimer's club, a most discreet and elegant organiz

gnant and continued anxiety about his material comforts. In his figure the vigor of the athlete contended with the comfortable stoutness of the epicure. He had left a discussion in which all his highest faculties had be

nces, Fenimer was soon composing a paragraph for the press, and advocating the setting of the date for the wedding early in April, as he himself was booked for a fishing-trip later. He did this under the assumption that he was yielding to Riatt's irresistible eagerness. "You have

hand his daughter over to a total stranger, did not amuse him as the women's light talk had done. He felt sorry for Christine

should not miss the fact that she was engaged if a solitaire could prove it to them. He ordered it sent to

l and found a pile of letters

childish hand with uncertain margin

arry Christine. I think you are very lucky, and am glad you are bringing her into our

loving

EL US

d. "How she does skim the cream!" And then with an exclamation of surpr

ar

his hotel. I find New York more wonderful but more unfriendly than I had been told,

s as

ROT

he was in and immediately arranged tha

was an old and sentimental friendship, which adverse circumstances might have ended, or favoring circumstances hav

n a tailor-made costume for which she had just paid twice as much as a native New York woman would have paid. In fact she was an essentially neat and nice little person. They talk

ook as if something treme

ve invented a subma

ething of a more

ou've falle

resh butter to salted, before Riatt answered: "No, that is just what I haven't done-

But wh

y it, but for the present, my dear, you must just accept the fact tha

xtremely serious. "Wh

is Christi

her name in

?" he return

is she

attract the attention of some underling, and then he saw that Christine, Hickson and Mr. and Mrs. Linburne were being ushered in. Christine approached, tall, beautiful, conspicuous, and as divinely unconscious of it as Adam and Eve of their nakedness; she m

lovely c

s Miss

flush spread ove

indifference to her?" she asked bitter

e alike! Beauty isn't the only thing in the world for a

," said Miss Lane, "but they

he answered. "My friendship for you means a g

eal of spirit. "As far as I am concerned you are quite free not only to become engaged, but to ha

ve a word of what I have

. I believe yo

aughed, and pointed him out to Hickson, who glanced at him coldly; he was evidently thinking th

etter go and speak

plied Dorothy tonelessl

, had a racing stable and a racing yacht, had gone in recently for flying (hence Riatt's connection with him), occasionally financed a theatrical show, and now and then attended a directors' meeting of some of his grandfather's companies. The result was that his name was as widely known throug

Max touched

e room, Christine received h

somewhere or other with the Petermans and nothing from the beginning of dinner to the end was fit to eat. But, bless them, they did not know. Have you met Mrs. Linburne? Oh, she

he poison when he saw the Linburnes exchange an amused glance. Of

with, Max? Is that y

d friendly, made Max fu

know was hardly wo

iend of mine. I think I must

neck openly to stare at her. "Why, she's rather nice looking-for a go

udden inspiration of ill-humor

too! Won't

ly can'

an ask

our h

Take me over," she said to him, "and I'll ask her myself." And she added to

at Dorothy would refuse the invitation. But he under-estimated Christine's powers. No one could have been more persuasive, more m

in a long humorous account of the incident, for her own table; and he could tell, even from that distance, when he wa

. You always hear of these people as

ct enough," retur

n she said seriously: "I believe I know what the trouble with you is, Max. You can't believe that she loves

-known counter question as a

r judgment on th

ane, with conviction, and a

returned Riatt, "I should very muc

ok, her manner, her being so nice

d never had much confidence in the

d the Metropolitan Museum; and after that they took a taxicab and drove along the river and watched the winter sunset above the palisades; and then they went and had tea at the Plaza, and by the time the

en Miss Lane and Mr. Riatt were ushered in. Nancy was there, and Hickson, and Mr. Linburne without his

ward to greet Dorothy, rather than Max, to whom she gave merely

and Nancy. "It is good of you to give us an evening, when there are so many more amusing things

ed on people whom Dorothy did not know, and it was so quick and allusive that no outsider could have followed it. Hickson, soon appreciating something in Miss Lane's situation not utterly unlike his

pretense of showing him some letter of congratulation that she had received. But once ther

love with

ably down on a sofa by the

am?" he

unching with her in public, and taking her to tea, as I was told, getting here so late for dinner-

conjugal remonstrance in his voice, "you have lunched and dined in one

rn mouse. I hate her. She's good and nice, and the kind of a girl men think it wise to marry, and just as di

rised when she obeyed. He made her sit down beside him, and taking her

is this all about?" And it was quite in the same note that Christine wept a moment

fun of me. And I'm jealous too, because I'm sure she's a nice girl and I've made such a mess of my life, and I deserve it all; but when you came in together, as if you

ear you talk

ever do silly things-that's cl

ct I am not in lov

lly no reason why you sho

what she sa

azed at him like an outraged empress-"You mea

assure

u be so low, so de

o be true, you know; and I felt I owed a measure of truth to a very old and very rea

The game is up," she said. "She

ll absolut

e's perfect

dn't for one mo

ieve we wer

aged to so beautiful and charming a perso

ftened slightly. "She

le as Laura thinks you; and she is trying to find

s. "She's jealous, too," she cried. "The perfect wom

I suppose it may hurt h

ould

l the time. She loves you. And I think it would be very impertinent of her not to. I should think very po

ter be going back,

he door, spreading

u're making lo

Christine,

; she doesn't know what an

eed she

he playfulness disappeared. "You mean," she sai

e me?" The idea of teasing Christine had never occurred to him

I'm having such a wretched time anyhow. Don't you t

do," he said, "and s

the gentle, wistfu

we're alone?

uppose we shall very often be alone," h

wounded bird: "No reaso

door opened and h

said. "I must really insist that you go back to the drawing-r

s to myself, Mr. Fenimer," said Max, and Christine

t I want to go to the club, and how can I, unless she goe

true and he and Christine w

she did not misunderstand. She got up at once and said good night

pt asking me the greatest number of questions about you and t

dded rather quickly, "And wha

ing. But he told Mrs. Almar a story-I could not h

did not shock

'that story is so old that even my hu

ou did not en

re beautiful than before. He was telling me what a wonderful

azy about her," sa

to deceive yourself about

. Deceive himself! What an insulting phrase. He repressed a strong impulse to propose on the ins

to go home with her and h

ou going ba

after t

ions to my

ons! Max

perhaps the least little bit dull. The clerk assured him he was fortunate to be able to get a berth

ld expect, he sent her a box of flowers, and at four he stopped for her and they went

makes an impression. But, no; we'll stick to Fifth Avenue, and study all the windows that have clothe

in imagination in every garment that the windows so frankly displayed, and answering with real interest her c

w ideas in hosiery" were romantically displayed, when Riatt decided to tell her of his approaching departure. He chose the stree

o-morrow," he said, and glanced quickly

gs, and she drew away with h

ke the ankle look large. Theoretically they ought to make i

es look anything but slim, Ch

of the more serious topic, she added: "And so you are going home? Well, you mayn't believe it,

He was disgusted at the discovery of an unexpected perversity in his nature. He found himself hardly pleased

on our drawing-room m

present," he answered. "That is, i

ks the stone too large. By the way, I never properly thanked you for the ring. It has been

ce?" he asked, for it occurred to him that perhaps she had no

t write to me now and then, and I'll show just a suit

Had some unexpected possibility cropped up? Did she want to get rid of him? Not,

lier than I expected,"

I hate to make that

ly. "It will be much nic

think that the evening before she had actually shed tears, simply because he took another g

ancy of course would not have dreamed of crowding three women into her box, so the party consisted of herself and Christine, Riatt, Roland Almar-a pale, eager, little man, t

Almar were to go in her tiny coupé, and

he mouse preferred the trap after all?" And he cou

grateful for the kind i

the gratitude of a man in

to be very m

of the ladies of his acquaintance wa

gratitude then. In the meantime let us stick to

judging. I've been nowhere for

laughed w

that should

ty-ninth Street entrance, and the doorman, opening the motor's door, shouted "Te

a for public devotion. Christine was resplendent in black and gold with a huge black and gold fa

he now murm

hing did dear Nancy t

een telling me for the last few day

nnoyed you,

s delighted to find I

be asleep sometimes e

rather dangero

shan't have to prete

ll packed

ally

dismissed him very politely. "There," she said, "you don't have to sta

s he did so, Linburne

duty demanded that he should go and say a word to his exuberant cousin

he days of the de Rezskes, and waving Riatt into place, "every one is so delighted at the engagem

ning," answered Riatt, who always found him

e when saying things in public which they don't wish overheard. "Oh, well, she doesn't look as brilliant as she did when you were with her. But isn't that natural? I

e South American diplomat, who was stan

his recent acquaintances to go and speak to them. Two men coming u

fellow she's

Western chap wit

cares anythin

ery one she doesn't. They

always thought the only

for he found himself annoyed at the idea of her having told everybody that she wasn't. But, it's a different thing, he thought, to tell one intimate friend in confidence, or to give the news to every Tom, Dick and Harry.

had replaced him, yielded to Riatt with the most submissive pro

hristine leaned over t

all if I deserted y

company?" said Nancy. "One seems to tak

ck of the box, came forward and said: "Won't you take m

inced Riatt that the scheme was for Linburne to take Christine home. He d

as the simple taxicab was his only means of vehicular locomotion, but a taxi, thank heaven,

her house, and when the door was opened he said: "May I come

ing-room and sank into a chair. "Who ever he

ost teasing mood, and someho

y out your instructions too exactly. Perhaps I show

It looked

oked so well for Linb

d, "but you know it is not necessary to tak

tance I might offer you

s it is," she return

perhaps than any one how empty of any ideality or hope her relation to Hickson was bound to be. Yet on the other hand, he could not say, "Come to me, instead." He despised her method of life, distrusted her character, disliked her ideas, and was under no illusion as to her feeling for himself. If he had come to her without money she would have lau

" he said

ary to extract a promise to write. At least to beg for a lock of the hair." (She drew out a golden

ure I want to

you don't want to remember that y

," he sa

ice thing to say t

t o

admit that I had enlarg

to shake hands w

lack all power to prevent her-or perhaps it was will that was lacking. She came up to him, very deliberately put her arms about his n

id not attempt to undo the clasp of her arms. He was as impassive as a

ew seconds. Then she droppe