she began quickly, "but I came up to show
you my new gown. Are you nearly ready? Lem is so impatient, you know."
Fumbling with the fasteners of her wide cape she drew it back and
revealed a bewilderingly beautiful creation beneath.

Eveley went into instant and honest raptures.

"Do you like it, Eveley? Am I beautiful in it?" There was a curious
wistfulness in her voice, and Eveley studied her closely.

"Of course you are beautiful in it. You are a dream. You are irresistibly
heavenly."

"I wonder if Lem thinks so," said Miriam, half breathlessly.

"Why, you little goose," cried Eveley, forcing the laughter. "How could
he think anything else? There, he is honking for us already. We must
hurry--Why, Miriam, you silly, how could any one think you anything in
the world but matchlessly wonderful in anything--especially in a dream
like that?"

Miriam fastened her wrap again silently, and got carefully out through
the window.

"Twelve steps," cautioned Eveley. "You'd better count them, it is so
dark, or you may stumble at the bottom."

Miriam, clinging to the railing on one side, passed slowly down. "One,
two, three, four, five, six." Then she stopped and turned.

"Seven." Looking somberly up to Eveley, standing above her, her face
showing pale and sorry in the dim light, she said, "I have been married
five years, Eve. You do not know what it is to spend five years
struggling to maintain your charm for your husband. And never knowing
whether you have failed or won. Always wondering why he finds more
attraction in other women less beautiful and less clever. Always
wondering, always afraid, trying to cling to what ought to be yours
without effort. It isn't funny, Eveley." She turned slowly, to go on
down, but Eveley laid a restraining hand on her arm.

"Five years? That is a long time," she said in a tender voice. "It must
almost be his turn now. Five years seems very long to me."

Miriam passed on down the stairs, counting aloud, eight, nine, ten, and
on to the last. At the last step she turned again.

"He is my husband, Eveley. One must do what is right."

"Yes? Yet five years of duty does not seem to have brought you much
happiness. At least you should not be selfish. You ought not to deny him
the pleasure of doing his by you for the next five." Then she added
apologetically: "Forgive me, Miriam. You know I should never have
mentioned this if you hadn't spoken."

Miriam clung to her hand as they felt their w