so worried, so miserable, so disappointed, that it will bring on
a relapse, and he will probably be worse than before. We can neither of
us be happy again--never, never, any more!"

"Sounds pretty bad!" I said, startled. "But there must be some way
out, or you would not have sent for me to help you. You are going to
tell me the whole truth, Delphine! Half confidences are no use. You
will speak honestly, and--let me speak honestly to you?"

"Oh, yes! You _will_ do, whether I allow you or not. I know you!"

"Well, then"--I bent forward, staring full in her face--"let's get to
the point. Is it another man?"

Her face answered, without the need of words. Amazed resentment blazed
out of her blue eyes.

"Another man! I should think not! How hateful of you, Evelyn! I'm
despicable enough, but I love Jacky. There's no other man in the world
for me. Of course," she paused, and faintly smiled, as at a soothing
recollection, "people admire me. I can't help that, and there's no harm
so long as I don't flirt. There's the Squire. I think if I were not
married, he might want--but I _am_ married, and it's the honest truth
that I've never said a word to a man since our marriage that I shouldn't
be willing for Jacky to hear. No! it's not that--"

"It's money, then," I said quickly. (So the Squire would "want," would
he? Oh, indeed!) "Delphine! you have been getting into debt?"

"Oh, how did you guess?" She turned her head over her shoulder, as
though afraid some one might overhear. "Oh, Evelyn, nobody knows but
you. I think I have been mad. Goodness knows what I expected to happen
in the end. I was in a crazy, rebellious mood, tired to death of being
dull and careful, and I had a wild spell of extravagance, ordered
whatever I wanted, ran up bills in town. I went to your dressmaker. I
was sick of making my own clothes, and looking a frump. I'm young, and
I'm pretty, I wanted to look nice while I could. Every one said I _did_
look nice; but she is a terror, that woman of yours! I had no idea of
the bill!"

"You did not ask for estimates in advance?"

"How could I? I didn't even know what to order. I just said, `A pretty
dress for the afternoon.' `A hat with roses.' `An evening cloak.'
Descriptions like that. And there was the habit, too, and little
things--oddments. They grow into mountains! And I bought furniture to
make my room look pretty and homelike. You remember you said I deserved
to h