more forbearance towards his wilful wife, and tried to exercise
it. He told himself that there was love enough and to spare; that
with the deep affection he was convinced Bella bore him there was
nothing really to fear. She was young and ill-advised, and it behoved
him to keep a careful watch over her, and above all things not to
draw too tight a rein. As for her threat of returning to her old life
and its meretricious attractions, after the first shock he dismissed
it from his mind. She had not really intended doing anything of the
sort; such a step was impossible. It was a wild idea, born of the
excitement of the moment, and unworthy of a further thought, and so
he put it aside. Had not the question been argued and threshed out
once and for all soon after marriage? He recalled with a curious lump
in his throat how she had put her hands into his and said; "Your
wishes are my wishes, now and always, Jack." And there had been an
end of the matter.

"I will wait until the atmosphere has cleared a little," said John
Chetwynd, reflectively, "and then I'll tell her that at the end of
the year we will leave Camberwell and take a larger house in a better
neighbourhood."

Thus, out of his love for his young wife, he made excuses for her and
took her back to his heart again.

And Bella? Jack's conduct puzzled her. She had fully expected that he
would be exceedingly angry and displeased, and in her own mind had
prepared certain little set phrases which were to impress him with
the fact that she intended to do as she pleased and would not allow
herself to be dictated to or coerced. And thus it was that on the
following morning she came down to breakfast with it must be
confessed a forbidding look upon her pretty face and a defiant air
about her bearing. But all her newly formed resolves were put to
flight when Jack came towards her and deliberately kissed the lips
which she vainly tried to withhold.

"Bella, you and I love each other too well to quarrel," he said
kindly; "let us forget all that happened last night."

What could she say? In spite of herself she felt that she was
yielding; and though she did not meet him half way as he had fondly
anticipated she would do, still she allowed him to draw her into his
arms and did not repulse his caresses.

She might have shown a more generous spirit, it is true. Since he had
tacitly acknowledged that they had been mutually to blame, she might
have offered something in the shap