and his own self-respect without excuse; for it was no excuse that he had let himself be led to drink too much. His heart ached and his cheek burned at the recollection of his two days of debauchery

elf. He held his head between his hands, and stared dejectedly at his desk. Some relief came to him at last only from the reflection that it was a single fault, and that it need never-it should n

ine out of ten women of her class would have taken their dismissal lightly. Some might have answered back in tones loud enough to enlighten the clerks, and thus have accomplished a pretty revenge in the course of retreat. This particular Lesbian was in no humor to be harshly treated. She was a little desperate and Babcock had pleased her. It piqued her to be treated in such a fashion; accordingly, she held her ground and sat down. She tried upon him, alternately, irony and pathos. He was angry but confused under the first, he became savage and merciless under the second, throwing back in her teeth the suggestion of her fondness, and stigmatizing her coarsely. Then she became angry in her turn-angry as a woman whose proffered love is spurned. The method for revenge was obvious, and she told him plainly what she intended. His wife should know at once how her husband passed his ti

expedition, and yet graciously ready to admit that she was glad to return home-meaning thereby, to her own bed and bathing facilities; but the general term seemed to poor Lewis a declaration of wifely dev

hat she looked grave, he went forward to kiss her, but she rose

e matter?"

here," was her slow

say choked Babcock's attempt to articulate. There was a brie

ou been false to your marriage vo

ma, you don'

question to ans

a. I was drunk and cra

have nothing more to do with you.

ive wi

me if it were I who h

ever since. But it was a slip-an accident. I drank too much, and it happened. I l

sence you insulted me by debauchery with a creature like that. Love? You have no

lt, we being husband and wife and the little girl in her grave? I said you don't understand and you don't. A man's a man, and there are times when he's been drinking when he's liable to yield to temptation, and that though he's so fond of his wif

describe. She demands from her husband what he demands from her, faithfulness to the marriage tie. We could never be h

indow but he saw nothing. His heart was racked. He had been eager to humiliate himself before her to prove his deep contrition, but he had come to the end of his resources, and yet she was ad

follow my tastes and interests. It is a paltry excuse that, because I l

e said. "I can't deny that. But, Selma, I guess

ongs to you." She remembered Mrs. Earle's proceeding, and though she had not yet decided what course to pursue in order to ma

church either. You can get a divorce if you're s

id sententiously. "I am going away. I cannot pass another night in

es. Selma regarded him a moment gravely, then she lai

oss conduct had entitled her to her liberty, and to neglect to seize it would be to condemn herself to continuous unhappiness, for this overt act of his was merely a definite proof of the lack of sympathy between them, of which she had for some time been well aware at heart. As she walked along the street she was conscious that it was a relief to her to be sloughing off the garment of an uncongenial relationship and to be starting life afresh. There was nothing in her immediate surroundings from which she was not glad to escape. Their house was full of blemishes from the stand-point of her later knowledge, and

sband. He has been

re she had time to think, to get the upper hand of her set th

nient, and her nerves were on edge. She found herself sobbing w

u. I have always said so," Mrs.

e said he loved me, and I let myself be badgered into it," Selma answered through her tears. "Well, it's all

Only you should consider the matter solemnly. Perhaps in a few days, after he has apo

earnestness, "you wouldn't have me live with him after what occurred? Contrition? He sai

gain, I would act just the same-just the same. It's a serious responsibility to encourage any one to desert a home, but under the circumstances I would not live with him another minute, my child-not an

that. All I care for is

I couldn't, for he did nothing public. A divorce settles matters, and put

d enough o

of conscience. I know an excellent lawyer-a Mr. Lyons, a sympathetic and a

," Selma answered with scorn. "I intend

of the new army of self-supporting, self-respecting women. I suppose you are right. I have never ha

claimed, ardently, after a dreamy pause, "that I am

desirable. Why remain fettered by a bare legal tie to one who was a husband only in name? Accordingly, in company

iderable clientage. A certain class of people, notably the hard-headed, God-fearing, felt themselves safe in his hands. His magnetic yet grave manner of conducting business pleased Benham, attracting also both the distressed and the bilious portions of the community, and the farmers from the surrounding country. As Mrs. Earle informed Selma, he was in sympathy with all progressive and stimulating ideas, and he already figured in the newspapers politically, and before the courts as a friend of the masses, and a fluent advocate of social reforms. His method of handling Selma's case was smooth. To begin with, he was sympathetic within proper limits, giving her tacitly to under

this failed, he sought Rev. Mr. Glynn as a last resort, and, after he had listened to a stern and fervid rating from the clergyman on the lust of the flesh, he found his pastor on his side. Mr. Glynn was opposed to divorce on general ecclesiastical principles; moreover, he had been educated under the law of England, by which a woman cannot obtain a divorce from her husband for the cause of adultery unless it be coupled with cruelty-a clever distinction between the sexe

re's not much hope," said Babcock, despondently, as he

briskly. "All she needs is an exhortati

uld oblige her to do that. In addition, the law offered her a formal escape from his control and name. Why not avail herself of it? She recollected, besides, that her husband's church recognized infidelity as a lawful ground of release from the so-called sacrament of marriage. This had come into her mind as an additiona

rely shocked-a woman of finer tissue than her husband, as he had noted in other American couples. She was entitled to her day in court-to a stubborn, righteous respite of indignation. But he expected to carry the day

on in the same form. It was indeed no argument, merely an appeal, and, in proportion as it failed to move the listener, became feeble. Selma listened to him with a tense face, her hands clasped before her in the guise of an interested and self-scrutinizing spirit. But she betrayed no sign of yielding, o

committed a hideous, carnal sin, but he is genuinel

eturn to him. I have other plans-plans which will b

ot dispute her right to do as she chose. Still he saw fit to murmur: "He that find

It has all been a dreadful mistake. We have not the same tastes and interests. I am sorry for him, but I can never consent to return to him. To do so would condemn us both to a life of unhappiness. We we

vince, and he had not succeeded, which to a clergyman is more annoying t

t love your hus

o be frank with one's self-with you, in such a matter, isn

within her moral rights, and he must be careful to keep within his. But he went away bewildered and discomfited. Selma would have liked to dismiss the subject and keep him longer. She would

the hopelessness of his predicament, Babcock agreed to Mr. Lyons's suggestion not to contest the legal proceedings. The lawyer had been diligent, and the necessary evidence-the testimony of the woman-was secure. She was ready to carry her revenge to the end, hoping, perhaps, that the vi