Ladies Must Live

went westward, he was conscious of no relief whatsoever. The day was bitter and gray, and, looking out

le with the Lanes i

nd the children," said Mrs. Lane, referring to some cousins of Ri

aying cousins when he is leaving a lovely creat

uishing," he returned, though the id

ngest lovers I ever k

n accurate description of the

never coming back? Never come back to annoy with his critical attitude? Never come back to watch her deterioration as Hickson's wife? Or

ts that Riatt had ever seen; but she was very blond and very much in love. Riatt hated both her and her husband. "People ought not to be allowed to sho

wish to build her a more suitable house than that of his father, which, large and comfortable, had been constructed in the very worst taste of the early "eighties." No, Riatt found himself saying with determination, his father's house would be good enough for his wife. He thought the sentiment sounded rather well, as he pr

. The list was about to be printed. Max hesitated. "It would be a little premature to put her down as Mrs. Riatt, wouldn't it?"

letters of hers. He even went so far as to read the society columns of the New York newspapers, so that he might not be c

it, in making "a less conservative and more remunerative investment of his capital." He spent hours every day hanging over the ticker in the office of Burney, Manders and C

ility of buying out the majority of stock in a certain Spanish-American gold mine. At first he always made the s

of his engagement was announced? A week at sea, two or three days on a river, and then sixty miles on mule-back over the mountains-

he had given him the afternoon they became engaged, and which, for safe keeping doubtless, he always carried in his pocketbook, and which he sometimes fo

such large square envelopes. As he took it up, he said to himself that it had never occurred to him that she would write, and yet he saw without any sense of inconsistency that he had l

o write to you for the benefit of my inquiring friends,

e facts, and the idea of parting forever from one's fiancé is rather dramatic, isn't it? I cried all night, and rather enjoyed it. The

not behaving, it appears, as an affianced bride should. Don't you like to think of Ned so loyally protecting your interests in your absence? His criticisms are, I suppose, based on the attentions of a nice little boy ju

wonder first o

that

a blank envelope that I may l

at the

ISTI

y well. It's Linburne he is worried about-Linburne, whose name she does not even mention." And how absurd to attempt to make him believe she had cried

read it with an emotion he could not mistake. It brought Christine like a visible presence before him. Also it made him angry, to have to see her like this, through another ma

onnet

a white embo

him, sealed t

nd, running over the lines rapidly to himself: "Hem, hem, 'carnation, alabaster, gold and fire.' Some queen, that, eh? Have you had your dinner? Well, don't be cross. There's

hear him, if the Greek

a

e East getting marri

mething like a pang that Max sai

alabaster, g

a bad line,

miable, and so he sat down and wrote

erse is pretty enough, though I can't say I exactly enjoyed it. However, my native town thinks very highly of him, and intends to ask him to come and address one of our local organizations. If so, I shall h

carelessness in having gone away without obtaining one for exhibition purposes. Will you send me one at once? One not already in circulation am

send you flowers every day. We worked out quite an elab

t in the sight

RIA

s, he was surpri

the flowers. Enjoy them a great deal more now. Yes, they come

sing unduly. Nor Hickson, who failed a little in such attentions. No, it was Linburne-and evidently Linburne's atte

he picture represented Christine at her most queenly and unapproachable. She wore the black and gold dress, and the huge feather fan was folded across her bare arms. Every time he look

etter from Nancy Almar. He knew her handwriting. She was always send

t knew a way to get

some proof of the nature of his engagement? Had Christine been moved by pity to tel

had been mistaken. He

n the series-urging hi

o so finished a villain as Linburne? You are not so ignorant of the ways of the world as not to know his intentions. Most people are saying you deserve everything that is happening to you

tters were lying on his writing table; and as he finished th

d a good deal of gossip. But that would all be put a stop to by the announcement of Christine's engagement to Hickson. He did not even

took up the evening paper which lay b

ivorce: Wife of well-known

was infuriated at the idea of Linburne's marrying her; nor why, as he had allowed himself to be made use of, he was angry to find th

pstairs and packed. He knew that what he was doing was foolish, that he wo

and he did not announce his arrival. He went straight to the Fenimers' house-not inde

had known Riatt before, appea

r, he insis

t and stick on the hall table. H

and handing his own things to the foot

y on him,

home, but has given orders

n admitted,

Riatt answered, "

rawing-room overhead, and then there was a long pause. Once he thought he heard a voic

imer came out. His astonishment at seeing Riatt was so great that with all his

t!" he said, grasping h

ne, I'm

to see," sai

go off in the casual way you did and expect to find everything just as he likes when he co

Mr. Fenimer was something that

it until the footman c

y becoming jovial, "I happen to know that C

t is that, th

on its crown and the initial

nt think of an answer, and Riatt d

stine's voice saying: "Thank you, I shall please

ristine, who was facing the door, saw him at once, Linburne, whos

to see a fellow who has made it so clear

do want to see him," and Linburne turning to see at what h

d shut the door behind his hasty retr

. Linburne," he said. "I do care w

n seeing Riatt, but for the lovely smile with which she h

Mr. Riatt," he answered. "And I may tell you that you have subjected Miss Fen

parently caring s

by laughing gaily. "You can't find any subject for argument there," she observed, "for you are both perfectly right. You h

ntuated his irritation, "in suggesting that as your visit is, I believe, unexpected, and as mine is an a

ut to make the same request to you. But I suppo

gel. "Can't we have a nice

, and Riatt went on: "Don't you think you ought to co

es me she does not

does intend to marry you-that is if yo

between her and me

f my future wife are no affair of mine?" And for an insta

is not your

nburne, I hea

ne. "Christine," he added peremptorily, "tel

ad erect, staring ahead of her like a sphinx, but saying nothing. After a moment she glanced up at

ery gently, "what have

and then seeing by the glance that the two others exchanged

've been lying t

iatt, finding it easier and easier to be calm a

old him that we did not love each other, and that our engageme

you tell

th, Max-almos

. "Do you want me to think you car

which I come," observed Riatt, "we often

e an idea very quickly. You have just heard Miss Fenimer say that sh

say she had t

ly that she said

tt, "if I understood a little more clearly what

iss Fenimer neglected and humiliated," answered Linburne, al

or she sat now as calmly interested in the conflict developing before her, as Helen when she s

hts in the matter you consider

. "The rights," he said, "of a man who certainly was once engaged to Miss Fe

ed. "Very neatl

Linburne. "You talk as i

The obvious fact that she was enjoying the interview, made both men eager to e

ask Mr. Riatt to be so kind as to le

y as you say," he said, "but you understan

omise?" she asked, the sweetness of her smi

e than a thousand miles to see you, don't you think you might su

ake him think that any woman whom he had honored with his preference was likely to prefer another man to himself. So the pause was terrible to him, not because he doubted what the

, finally, th

ou remember that while

osed a certain d

not continue, he opened his poc

n the contrary, she leaned back

ell, you may stay, if you care

freedom or captivity was in his own hands; the crisis

asked Linburne, as one wh

Lee, it still belongs to Mr. Riatt; but if he decides not to b

ise me that,

ne, and before Max knew what he was doing he

led and rocked an instant in the heat, before it disappeared in flame and smoke. No

. But he did not answer or take her

lanced at her remaining visitor. "And now," sh

Will you take any man that offers, me or Hickson,

that offers, Max-

often Riatt. He went on: "If you

x! What could b

you must tell me exactly what has ta

inted to a chair near her own, but Riatt re

have th

own each other since we were children. I suppose

loved

enjoy that as well. Sometimes, of course, he found the process too unbearable; and in one of his fits of anger at me, just after he left college, he wen

urpris

hed. "Ah, I wa

t on see

n. Sometimes he used to tell

a of putting an e

bout Lee's feelings for me, until my engagement was announced. Then it app

iatt. "He was content enough until there

that life with you would prom

hat love. I cal

"And what emotion, may I ask, has

home. Riatt chan

, "never pretend

are you ma

en kn

turbed by his rudeness, "and some

rable. "I don't know that I feel very much inclined to chat," he

aiting to let him out. To him, at least, Riatt seemed a triumphant lover, only as Linbu

house even more restless and di

s nothing but bitterness and jealousy in his mood. What did he know or care for such people? he said to himself. What did he know of their standards and their histories? How much of Christine's story about Linburne was to be bel

down the street, Hickson-a witness pre

n's face brightened at the sight of Riatt, and he call

rather un

ooked at his companion with such wistful uncertainty, that it s

k frankly to

"I hope so, anyhow. I haven't had any one I could be fr

future fat

ickson asked with, for

was not very decid

n't sense enough to see it. Well, I never pretended to have as much sense as Nancy, but I see some things that she doesn't. I see, for instance, that there's something noble in Christine, in spite of-I

rankly," answered Riat

ys of Ch

ery skilful to extract the whole story. Nancy had asserted that Christine had never intended for a minute to marry Riatt-that she had just used him to exc

than your sist

't care about that sort of gossip. It's absurd to say she and Li

times, my dear Hickso

He wouldn't treat her well if he did marry her. Why, Riatt," he a

innocent endorsement, he suppressed

have yo

d leave Linburne a clear field. He's a man who knows how to talk t

ked Max. He tried to smooth his tone down to

she wasn't a bit in love with you, but it seemed to me she was different with you from what she had ever been with any one else. I suppose I ought

he walked back alone to his hotel, he found that Hickson

ive jealousy and fierce masculine egotism had suddenly brought him to New York and bound him hand and foot. It had not been an agreeable prospect-to live among people whose stan

to her feeling for him, but his for her was clear-he loved her, loved her with t

could imagine having confidence in a woman who did not pretend love. But to be married to a woman whom you love, without a shred of

is coming had only precipitated a lovers' quarrel, then certainly Christine had too much intelligence to let such a chance slip through her fingers just on the eve of Linburne's divorce.

he reached his hotel, he sat

ar Chr

time I asked you to marry me, and that you, for the first time definitely accepted me. But as I

elf to a marriage without affection, at the psychological momen

h to be of use, but I will not be bound to a relati

ou

.

that Christine would hardly be willing to commit herself o

short interval, her letter

ar

ast as irrevocably as the marriage tie can bind nowadays. If this afternoon my manner seemed less portentous than you expected, that must have been because I have always counted on just this termination to our little advent

ll death

ISTI

t salad, went to the theater, came back to the hotel and went to bed and to sleep rather congratulating himself on t

taken the place of the half-awakened bird, he woke up, and if he had been in jail he coul

free, besides jumping from the twelfth story window. He lit a cigarette, and stood thinking. Men disappeared every day; it could be done. W

Saint, told him by his nurse in his early days. She had been beautiful, too beautiful for her religious ideals; the num

ecided to get rid of the major part. The problem was simply to lose his money before the date set for the wedding. And that wa

complicated, but even that he thought he could accomplish. He ha

he question. But to be perfectly safe he decided to leave himself only fifteen thousand. He would begin operation as soon as the e

lephone and sent

ever, decided after minute investigation here to inve

n his hand. "Suppose the damned thing succeeds,

's ever did succeed," he thought; and with this con