turned away from him, she slowly got
up, and slowly found the broom and swept it all into a little heap on
the newspaper that lay where he had left it.

Suddenly she threw back her head. Her eyes shone with a new resolution.
He watched her, wondering. With a quick, firm step, she carried the
rolled-up paper to the stove and shoved it far into the glowing embers.
Gathering up the crockery, after a glance around the room in search of
some receptacle which her eye did not find, she carried it over to the
wood-pile, laying it upon the logs. The broom was restored to its
corner. She took up her hat and coat and began to put them on.

"What are you doing?"

"I've done what you _made_ me do, now I'm going."

"Where, if I might ask?"

"What do I care, as long as I get away."

"You ain't under the impression that there's a first-class hotel round
the corner, are you? There ain't."

"I can go to the Sharps."

"I guess they're in bed and asleep by now."

"I'll wake them."

"You'd never find your way. It's pitch dark. Look."

He threw open the door. It was true. The sky had clouded over. The
feeling of the air had changed. It smelt of storm.

"I'll sleep out of doors, then."

"On the prairie? Why, you'd freeze to death before morning."

"What does it matter to you whether I live or die?"

"It matters a great deal. Once more, let me remind you that women are
scarce in Manitoba."

"Are you going to keep me from going?"

"Sure."

He closed the door and placed his back against it.

"You can't keep me here against my will. If I don't go to-night, I can
go to-morrow."

"To-morrow's a long, long way off."

Her hand flew to her throat.

"Frank! What do you mean?"

"I don't know what silly fancies you've had in your head; but when I
married you I intended that you should be a proper wife to me."

"But--but--but you understood."

It was all she could do to force the words from her dry throat. With a
desperate effort she pulled herself together and tried to talk calmly
and reasonably.

"I'm sorry for the way I've behaved, Frank. It was silly and childish of
me to struggle with you. You irritated me, you see, by the way you spoke
and the tone you took."

"Oh, I don't mind. I don't know much about women and I guess they're
queer. We had to fix things up sometime and I guess there's no harm in
getting it over right now."

"You've beaten me all along the line and I'm in your power. Have mercy
on me!"

"I g