In spite of his doubt of her, they were not on the worst of terms, there
were still times when he resumed his old role of the lover, when he held
her drifting fancy in something of the potent spell he had once been
able to weave about her. Whatever their life together, it was far from
commonplace, with its poverty and extravagance, its quarrelings and its
reconciliations, while back of it all, deep-rooted in the very dregs of
existence, was his passionate love. Even his brutal indifference was but
one of the many phases of his love; it was a manifestation of his revolt
against his sense of dependence, a dependence which made it possible for
him to love where his faith was destroyed and his trust gone absolutely.
Evelyn was vaguely conscious of this and she was not sure but that she
required just such a life as theirs had become, but that she would have
been infinitely bored with a man far more worth while than Marshall
Langham. From his seat by the fire Langham scowled across at her, but
the scowl was lost in the darkness.

"Your father was here last evening, Marsh," Evelyn said at length,
remembering she had not seen him the night before, and that he had
breakfasted and gone before she was up that morning.

"What did he come for?" her husband asked.

"I think to see you. Poor man, he doesn't seem able to get the run of
the hours you keep; I told him he could always find you here between
four and eight in the morning. I must say this little insight into your
domestic habits appeared to distress him, but I tried to comfort him,--I
told him you would probably outlive us all." She laughed softly. "Andy
was here this afternoon, Marsh," she went on.

"What the devil did he want?"

"I don't know."

"Is he coming back?"

"He didn't mention it, if he is." And again she laughed.

Langham moved impatiently; her low full-throated mirth jarred on his
somber mood.

"Were you in court to-day, Marsh?" she inquired, after a short silence.

"Yes," he answered briefly.

"Were there many there?"

"Yes."

"Any ladies, Marsh?" she questioned, with sudden eagerness.

"If you can call them that," he growled.

"Do you know, Marsh, I had a strong impulse to go, too. Would you have
been astonished to see me there?" she asked tentatively.

"We won't have any of that,--do you understand?" he said with fierce
authority.

"Why not? It's as right for me as it is for any one else, isn't it?"

"I won't _have_ it!" he said, lift