Ladies Must Live

to himself that he was now to have a few weeks-whatever time it should take him to lose his fortune decently-o

not necessary to lose his money; spending it would be quite as effective. Acting on this idea, he went into a ce

she wanted to-but Christine had already welcomed him for his changed demeanor; his brilliant smile and unruffled brow told her as soo

in process of clasping the pearls about Christine's neck (for she had had some unaccountable di

that did not happen to be her method of expressing surprise, but h

"in thinking I was to stop a

Max's return has put every

t ever expect hi

f you had never heard

istine, why are the Lin

loathe each ot

e! It seems only the other day that you were

e became aware that some of the g

my pearls, de

rned, for she was one of the women who can never ha

larger they might be mistaken for your old imitation string." The

I shall ever get so superior that Nancy ca

eally cry,

ht you w

heard of Linburn

child who would like to li

en cry over tri

y going

ght me the news, and she was so triumphant over it. She said every one would think he had been making a f

e of news for

d or

you would say. It's a

Max? Could I

can if you ma

t is

he said, and added a moment later: "And just think that I've been

buried on his shoulders murmur

utely the last, perhaps," he answered

at piece of indifferent n

escribe it

n't new

already guessed

lways k

way

ay at all, if I had not felt sure. And if you ha

back b

d because Laura wrote you a letter. Do you fancy

lf answering almost i

her amour, je ne

ent can understand the fullness of joy that he was able to extract from it. If he had been under sentence of death he could

reports from it grew more and more favorable and old friends came to him and begged him to allow them to take up a little of it. His cu

n was so obviously to allay alarm. It appeared that a liberal revolution was threatened; the concession from the government then in power would not bear

h comprises most of the people, as they have neither arms, ammunition nor money, they can't do much, unless some fool in the

tt instantly telegraphe

e name and address of the

ose name never appeared in the transaction. Within a month a shipment of arms had been smuggled into a certain South American country, with the result that the revolution was completely successful-as indeed it deserved

this unhappy experience

of his broker's office

nance, men would nudge

uch nerve? He stand

ook badly, he met Linburne and another man in Wall Street, and there was something subtly

the picture of Riatt's courage and calm,

g too much, are yo

ove in a cottage, Chr

uld tempt her, and gathered from the fact that he hardly listen

was over, that he must tell Christine the truth and then retire to

e most startled by the explosion; and Riatt, at an early breakfast (for he and Christine were going into the country for the day), with a mind occupied with the phrases in which he should bid he

ght he knew the worst, knew that the liabilities of the firm far exceeded any possible assets, knew positively that the c

honest with himself, and that all the time beneath his great scheme had lain the belief that when the truth was known Christine would prefer him and his mod

ing the problem of mere existence-at least he would be as

lawyer. When he came back to his hotel, between the entranc

ully sorry abou

here should have been. He did not ask Ned to sit down until he had explained with his accustomed simplicity that he had something of importance to say. Then Riatt let him lead the way to one of t

ly on your account, but on Christine's. I mean that I did begin

uickly: "Now, of course, the m

ds had been said for him. "You do feel that?" he s

e laughed rather bitterly, and then aft

oor Christine. Every one will say that she is the kind of woman who can't stick to a man in adversity. Yes, I assure you, Riatt, lots of these wom

ollow your

ility of the marriage, couldn't you in some way make it app

d then he asked in a tone that sounded perfectly c

ing to communicate with you for two days. She can't see why yo

ssage, or at least y

rom her. I have a message

m wh

u may have had. He wants to offer you a position, only he felt awkward about doing it himself after what

"These two messages, are t

t under

chance the reward for my givin

cked. "How can you thi

d you see

confessed after some pr

ine's

cted by your reverses, and not hearing from you she has turned to me, to Ja

d say I have other plans; and tell Christine she can have her absolution for nothing.

ove, I must own that I, more experienced in privation, find that the situation has had a somewhat chilling effect upon my emotions. In short, my dear, I cannot begin li

erely

. RI

a cure," he said. "Good night, Hickson. I'm dead tired, so you won't mind my

pose, did not notice. He was very much pleased with the results of his diplomacy. No one could say a word against Christine now. It was

ill at the hotel and went awa

fe. Riatt certainly had often thought of such a possibility and now he put his plans into operation. He took no great precautions against discovery, for he had no notion that any one would be p

Brooklyn, on the top floor, so that he had a glimpse of the harbor from his sitting-room windows. He spent the last of his ready money in buying out the dilapidated furniture of his predecess

plains of Long Island, would dine cheaply at some neighboring restaurant, and would

ating Christine, to which he now devoted a great deal of time

r he should succeed, would not bring him what most men wanted of success-a companion and a home. He had nothing to work for, and yet nothing to do except work. It was all his own fault, he said; and blamed her all the more bitterly. He was g

ngeful because he found he did not want it. He made up his mind after the most prolonged consideration that a woman such as Christine exercised the maximum influence

ound no mention of her name except once, toward the end of May, a sh

abroad. And as usual, with the prospect of success had come to him a bitter sense of the emptiness of the future. He was thinking of Christine, and when he turned the switch of the electric light, there she was. She was sittin

if she had charge of his comings and goings

t he felt, but an undefinable and overmastering emotion that seemed to pe

n, "aren't you sur

nt hi

uess why I

ok his

ed at this. "Then perhaps I'

ould say that the chances were that you ha

your pearls." He saw now, between the laces of her summer dress that she was wearing them. "In common honesty I could hardly keep them." She put up her han

swered, with temper. "I ne

either,

either-

harge of both of us." Then seeing that she had produced no change in his expression, she cam

nd what is

danger,

longer, C

u don't love

a b

ed her ground wit

lly, "we can talk the whole subj

e were anything

"aren't you going to a

y late,

I doubt if you would eat very much at

oing into the kitchen and

To see her like this, in his own home, where he had so often imagin

she came back flushed and triumphant, carrying a

ink I've improved? Don't you thi

was too much for him. "I'm afraid I'm not in th

o hungry," she observed gently. "But

returned, but he dropped reluctantly

. "Something that has never been mentioned in all the discu

egan, rather contemptuou

feelings for you. You've told me that you did not love me, that you desp

lear. You felt that, in

uld

able and looked at him

ove

arms tightly about him. Still he did not move, except that his hands, which had been hanging at his sides, now gripped the edges

y this is,

s it f

x weeks ago, while I sti

ouldn't have believed me." H

th you and work for you, no one can accuse me of mercenary motives-not even yo

Riatt, trying not very s

ings," she answered. "But that's the way it's going

he said. "I couldn't a

ies and pretty clothes and luxuries-they were a sort of game I played because I did not know any other. But only part of me was alive then. I was like a blind person; and they were my stick; but now that I can see, the stick is just in my way. It isn't silly and romantic to believ

s far as I'

be such a moral snob, Max. If love's the best thing in the w

than I do," he answered, su

going to be, anyh

he said, as if arguing

t contracted space. "Th

as to

his elbow, in trancelike contemplation of a small white enameled ice-box. With her customary decision, Nancy ordered her chauffeur to stop, and entering the shop by another door she sto

his ear, "might one ask when you are

was guilty, and his manner confused as

r possibly only wanted to get away to wai

sir? I have the na

"But to whom? I thought he h

ily scribbling the address on a

girl from his home town. Won't Christine be angry when she hears it! She always likes her old love

tenance as he followed his sister to her

nd tell me all about it. I knew he really never cared for Christine. She dazzled and distressed hi

o, by the way, I like an

fir

t? Some o

you kn

eme solemnity transfe

mean that

as at their wed

ere are

're living in a flat an

her countenance with an effort, she said: "My poor dear! But i

ll stay with

is this

ll. They don't want to b

months from now I'll ask them to dine to meet Linburne. Christine's dresses will be a litt

tt may be on the way to

y good thing

he window-sill, and the sun on the roof, and the knowledge that all of

f red and white awnings, and red and white window boxes. The footman had rung the bell, and was waiti

real horror in his tone, "you ta

do, of

o you h

, I hate her now.

to admire her. It may be foolish, but su

the door of the motor, and Nancy, putt

now any woman would have done what she's do

her house, leaving her brother