The Happiest Time of Their Lives

ed as he left his da

om Pringle and set it hard on his head at the slight angle which he preferred. Then reflecting th

r, Pri

uline appearance, had in speaking

his wife, to whom he usually referred as "Mrs. Pringle"; but he made an exception in sp

g, indeed, more quickly than usua

imagined he had accepted. As a lawyer he had expressed himself as willing always to take the lady's side; but in the cases which he actually took h

im that if Severance had been unfaithful to Adelaide-But poor Severance had not been unfaithful; he had not even become indifferent. He loved his wife, he said, as much as on the day he married her. He was extre

denly become utterly intractable. She would listen to no reason and brook no delay. She had been willing enough to explain; she had explained repeatedly, but the trouble

k down upon him

n some way she considered the intemperance of Severance's habits to be involved. But this was absurd. It was true that for a year or two Severance had taken to drinking rather more than was wise; but, Mr. Lanley had thought at the time, the poor young man had not needed any artificial stimulant in the days when Adelaide had fully and constantly admired him. He had seen Severance come home several times not exact

which she had dealt with Joe Severance's drinking. Joe himself was eager to own that he owed his cure entirely to her. Mr. Lanley had been proud of her; she had

not?" he

n't love him,

of duty, and then under the threat of scandal. With her beauty and Severance's popularity, for from his college days he had been extremely popular with men, the divorce excited uncommon interest. Severance's unconcealed grief, a rather large circle of devoted friends in whom he con

soon married again, a local belle in the Massachusetts manufactu

andsome, hard working, had rowed on his crew, and every one spoke well of him. Certainly they had been in love-more in love than he liked to see two people, at least when one of them was his own daughter. He had suggested t

thought and said; yet he could hardly object to her docility. That was the way he had brought her up. He did not reckon pliancy in a woman as a weakness; or if he had had any temptation to do so, it had vanished in t

a woman as Severance. Could he hold a woman like Adelaide? He wasn't a man to stand any nonsense, though, and Mr. Lanley nodded; then, as it were, withdrew the nod on remembering that poor Joe had not wanted to stand any nonsense ei

to a dinner, with a dance after. She came into the dining-room to say good night and to promise to be home early, not to stay and dance. She was not allowed

d gone, Far

d has a wi

ife. "She does everyt

please you in everythin

t have to tell you that, do I? I never have to manoeuver th

t her acros

aith in those met

work

no one knew that

ters. She followed him about ten o'clock. She came an

was instantly aware that his blotting-paper had fallen across the sheet, that the sheet was n

pon the blotting-paper; he slowly and carefully pushed it

to her ears there was some under soun

he was already in bed, and he came and sat on the foot of t

their relation? The impersonality of Vincent's manner was an armor against such attacks, but this armor, as Adelaide knew, was more apparent than real. If one could get beyond that, one was at the very heart of th

ly believe in the other woman. That, she knew, would bring a change in the fundamentals of her

enchanted her. And now it seemed to her that he was leading her on from subject to subject through a childish dislike to going to bed. They were actually giggling over Mr. Lanley's adventure when a motor-brake squeaked in

rridor, with her arms full of shining favors; there could be no question whatever

ould have been h

how lovely you look in that blue thing! Won'

shook h

ight," sh

on. "But if you will come, I will expla

y one thing. She went up-stairs with her daughter, sent th

ook," she murmured.

shoulder, as if she had ever been

t show, does i

ectly we

kles showing and her arms bare, she looked like a very young girl, and when she put up her hands

e her look like a little white column. A glass of milk and some biscuits were waiting for her. She pushe

nly, "I suppose I'm wh

to that boy who

not t

othing ab

his name is, but every one calls him Pete. How strange it wa

t the floor like a person who has been aggrieved. She was wondering whether she should be to her daughter a comrade or a ruler, a confederate or a policeman. Of course i

ised h

of youthful marr

u were only eig

t is

other, had wept bitterly at parting with him, and had missed him. And then gradually her mother, who had before seemed like a beautiful, but remote, princess, had begun to make of her an intimate and grown-up friend, to consult her and read with her and arrange happinesses in her life, to win, to, if the t

r looked. Her mother's successor, whom she could not really like, would question her more searchingly, more embarrassingly, with an ill-concealed note of jealousy in every word. Even at twelve years Mathilde was shocked by the strain of hatred in her father's new wife, who seemed to

e grew older it had seemed mere loyalty to accept the fact without asking wh

you still love

ama. I feel very

hy

why. I dare sa

A woman cannot be the leader, the guide, and keep any romance. O Mathilde, I never want you to feel the humiliation of finding yourself stronger than the man you love. Th

vident conviction that the explanation

e you think at first that

tly handsome, your father. I saw him admired by other men, apparently a master; I was too young

lde s

ant time,"

not kno

about love as you do,"

woman

shook h

s that I love. I don't

you w

could describe the very essence of her passion;

hy you chose

u have never

so cl

ssed understanding this seemed a suf

ecide nothing to-night. I know nothing against Mr. Wayne. He may be just the

with his mother. His father is dead. She'

s. Farron just shu

ission that

is profess

be married at once. We are reasonable. You think not, because this has all happened so sudden

all the fading image of the young man, and then thought of the domina

d himself on having, a great capacity for sleep. She tiptoed past his door, stole into her own room, and then, glancing in the direction of his, was startled to see that a light was burning. She went in; he was

e did not ask her why she was crying; she wished that he wou

thing wrong," she sobbed,

red. His tone comforted, his touch was a comfort. Perhaps she was