apply," ambiguously. "But you; you seem to be happy."

"There can not be a happier woman in the world. Let me confess. The
confession may hurt your vanity. I love my husband better than I
dreamed I could love. He is so just, so tender and strong. And isn't
he handsome? I am madly jealous of every woman that comes near him.
And once upon a time I believed that I was in love with Mr. Richard."
There was no coquetry in this frank statement.

"Any one can see that you are happy."

"I want every one to see it. I want to tell everybody, too. You have
no idea how strong he is, Dick. Yesterday I was in the shops with him.
A rail was in the way; the men about did not see it; or refused to see
it. John stooped, picked it up with his bare hands, and dropped it to
one side. There are but two men in the shops who can do that. But I
have a horror of those great bars of twisting white iron. They terrify
me. I do not understand, but the men are always sullen when I am
there. John says it's my imagination."

"It probably is. Perhaps the begrimed faces have something to do with
it."

"I can read the human countenance too well," she said. "Is it because
I have been on the stage? Have these men a base opinion of me?"

"Impossible!"

"And they seem to dislike John, too."

"John can take care of himself. He'll wait a long while, but when he
moves forward nothing can stop him. Don't you ever miss the glare of
the lights?" he asked, his endeavor being to interest her in something
foreign to the shops.

"Dick, I have almost forgotten that I ever acted. You will remember
that I refused to assist in the amateur theatricals last winter. Act?
I hate the word. It suggests the puppet, the living in other people's
worlds, parrot-wise, in imitation."

"Come, come, Kate; it's the greatest gift of all and you know it.
Think! The power to make people laugh and cry, to make either
happiness or misery perfectly real!"

"Oh, there was pleasure in it at times," she admitted reluctantly. "Do
you remember my gloves, Dick? John had them."

"He knew you were in my rooms that night?"

"Yes. I told him the simple truth, and he believed me. How could I
help loving a man as loyal as that?"

"It is fine. But Jack was always a thorough man. I don't blame you for
loving him. I call him all sorts of names to Patty, and it is fun to
watch her eyes flash."

Kate gave him a curious smile.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing."

"You smiled."

"I had a