that!
Has it? Does David love you? Does he ever kiss you? Yet he came to see me
in New York this winter, and took me in his arms and kissed me. He gave me
money too. See this brooch?"--she exhibited a jeweled pin--"that was bought
with his money. You see he loves me still. I could bring him to my feet
with a word to-day. He would kiss me if I asked him. He is weak as water
in my hands."

Marcia's cheeks burned with shame and anger. Almost she felt at the limit
of her strength. For the first time in her life she felt like
striking,--striking her own sister. Horrified over her feelings, and the
rage which was tearing her soul, she looked up, and there stood David in
the doorway, like some tall avenging angel!

Kate had her back that way and did not see at once, but Marcia's eyes
rested on him hungrily, pleadingly, and his answered hers. From her sudden
calmness Kate saw there was some one near, and turning, looked at David.
But he did not glance her way. How much or how little he had heard of
Kate's tirade, which in her passion had been keyed in a high voice, he
never let them know and neither dared to ask him, lest perhaps he had not
heard anything. There was a light of steel in his eyes toward everything
but Marcia, and his tone had in it kindness and a recognition of mutual
understanding as he said:

"If you are ready we had better go now, dear, had we not?"

Oh how gladly Marcia followed her husband down the stairs and out the
door! She scarcely knew how she went through the formalities of getting
away. It seemed as she looked back upon them that David had sheltered her
from it all, and said everything needful for her, and all she had done was
to smile an assent. He talked calmly to her all the way home; told her Mr.
Brentwood's opinion about the change in the commerce of the country the
new railroad was going to make; told her though he must have known she
could not listen. Perhaps both were conscious of the bedroom window over
the way and a pair of blue eyes that might be watching them as they passed
into the house. David took hold of her arm and helped her up the steps of
their own home as if she had been some great lady. Marcia wondered if Kate
saw that. In her heart she blessed David for this outward sign of their
relationship. It gave her shame a little cover at least. She glanced up
toward the next house as she passed in and felt sure she saw a glimmer of
purple move away from the window. Then David shut the