ything; and I'm not well, now, and I can't stand
it! And I'll tell him I can't, too."

"I suppose a man doesn't understand very well," Norma ventured.

"_He_ doesn't!" Leslie said, warmly. "All Acton Liggett thinks of is his
own comfort--that's all! I do everything for him--I pay half the
expenses here, you know, more than half, really, for I always pay for my
own clothes and Milly, and lots of other things. And then he'll do some
_mean_, ugly thing that just makes me furious at him--and he'll walk out
of the house, perfectly calm and happy!"

"He's always had his own way a good deal," Norma who knew anything
except sympathy would utterly exasperate Leslie conceded, mildly.

"Yes," Leslie agreed, flushing, and stiffening her jaw rather ominously,
"and it's just about time that he learned that he isn't always going to
have it, too! It's very easy for him to have me do anything that is hard
and stupid----Do you suppose," she broke off, suddenly, "that _I'm_ so
anxious to go to the Duers' dinner? I wouldn't care if I never saw one
of them again!"

Norma gathered that a dinner invitation from the Duers had been the main
cause of the young Liggetts' difference, and framed a general question.

"That's Saturday night?"

"Friday," Leslie amended. "And what does he do? He meets Roy Duer at the
club, and says oh, no, he can't come to the dinner Friday, but _Leslie_
can! He has promised to play bridge with the Jeromes and that crowd. But
Leslie would _love_ to go! So there I am--old lady Duer called me up the
next morning, and was so sorry Acton couldn't come! But she would expect
me at eight o'clock. It's for her daughter, and she goes away again on
Tuesday. And then"--Leslie straightened herself on the couch, and fixed
Norma with bright, angry eyes;--"then Spooky Jerome telephoned here, and
said to tell Acton that if he couldn't stir up a bridge party for
Friday, he'd stir up something, and for Acton to meet him at the club!"

Norma laughed.

"And did you give Acton that message?" she inquired.

"No, indeed, I didn't--that was only this morning!" Leslie said, in
angry satisfaction. "I telephoned Mrs. Duer right away, and said that
Acton would be so glad to come Friday, and if Acton Liggett doesn't like
it, he knows what he can do! You laugh," she went on with a sort of
pathetic dignity, "but don't you think it's a rotten way for a man to
treat his wife, Norma? Don't you, honestly? There's nothing--nothing
that I don't