eated, joyously. "Why, you've made me
the happiest woman in the world--a partner!" Again, the rounded arms
were wreathed about his neck; her face was hidden on his shoulder.

Hamilton's eyes were turned ceilingward, as if seeking some illumination
from beyond. He listened, stupid, bemused, to that word echoing wildly
through his brain: "Partner!" He understood fully at last, and with
understanding came utter dismay. "Partner!... Oh, Lord!"

CHAPTER VII

In the days that followed, Cicily was almost riotously happy. The
schemes that had been formulating themselves dimly in her mind following
the altruistic suggestion made to her by Mrs. Delancy now took on
definite shape and became substantial. In view of the fact that her
husband had explicitly brought her into a business partnership with
himself, it occurred to her that she might well combine the idea of
making other people happy with practical uses in behalf of business. To
this end, then, she devoted her intelligence diligently, with the result
that she soon had concrete plans of betterment for the many, and these
of a sort to redound directly to her husband's advantage in a business
way. In brief, she conceived certain philanthropic operations to be
carried out for the enjoyment of her husband's employes; the effect of
such changes would inevitably be a better understanding between them and
their employer, and an increased loyalty and efficiency on the part of
the workers. With this laudable purpose, Cicily, after broaching the
subject in detail to Hamilton, who made no objection, since her
helpfulness was to be operated out of her private fortune, at once
busied herself with the execution of the project. The factory downtown
was soon a-chatter with excitement over the startling innovations that
were under way. The employes cursed or cheered according to their
natures, as they learned of the gifts bestowed by the wife of their
employer. They regarded the new bath-tubs with wonder, albeit somewhat
doubtfully. They discussed the library with appreciation, or lack of
appreciation, according to their degrees of illiteracy or learning: the
socialistic element condemned the inanity of the volumes selected; there
were only histories, biographies, books of travel, foolish novels and
the like--nothing to teach the manner by which the brotherhood of man
must be worked out.

In addition to her activities for good in this direction, Cicily added
something actual to h