e years that you can make me think now that you have any hold upon
me? Bah! your case is but a flimsy one. When you deceived me into a
marriage with you, you had already another wife. You hid me away in a
suburban box of a cottage, fancying I would be content, like a bird in
a gilded cage. You never dreamed that meek little _I_ would follow
you, and find out from the woman's own lips that she had a prior claim
upon you!"

"Candidly, I didn't credit you with so much pluck," said Percy,
coolly.

"No! and when I charged you with your perfidy, and wept and upbraided
you, and then became pacified when you told me that every proof of
your marriage with that other was in your control, you did not dream
that I would feign submission until I had gained possession of the
proofs of both your marriages, and then run away?"

"And succeed in baffling my search for ten long years," supplemented
he, grandiloquently. "No, fair dame, I did not."

"Your search, indeed! It was not a very eager one."

"Well, in truth it was not. The fact is, your beauty entrapped me into
that very foolish marriage; but I was a trifle weary of blonde
loveliness in tears, etc., so I didn't get out the entire police
force, you see."

"And you wouldn't have found me if you had."

"Indeed! why not?"

"Because, if it will afford you any satisfaction to know at this late
stage of the game, I sailed for Europe the very day I quitted your
house."

"No!" opening his eyes in genuine astonishment. "Had it all cut and
dried? Well, I like that! Why, little woman, if you had only developed
one half the pluck latent in you, before you flitted, I would never
have given you 'just cause,' etc., for leaving me."

The woman smiled triumphantly, but made no other answer.

"Well, what next? I am really becoming interested in your career."

"Sorry I can't gratify your curiosity. My career has been a very
pleasant one--seeing the world; generally prosperous. And this brings
me back to the starting point: why should you think, because I left
you with good cause, ten years ago, that I must necessarily forsake,
sooner or later, a husband who is kindness itself, and who leaves no
wish of mine ungratified?"

"First reason," checking them off on his fingers: "Because you don't
love this old man, and love is the only bond that such women as you
will not break."

"Thanks!" ironically, bending her head.

"Second, because a dull country house, be it ever so elegant, will