o risk cutthroats getting together. He overestimated my ability to
keep clear of disaster. But after all, I'm not sorry--I don't want
anything more than I have earned. For you always pay for it in some
way. The world may not know but these snap-judgment profiteers, these
get-rich-quick phenomena, always have to pay. But you don't
understand," he added, gently, "do you? You must not be blamed for
not understanding anything unless it comprises a good time!"

"I shall not try," she said, petulantly, "and if you love me you will
hurry to change your things and tell papa briefly. To-morrow will be
time enough to go into detail and have him start you into something
new."

"I didn't take your father's money to marry you with, and even if I
stole it in a sense it was my own efforts that brought it to pass. I
took no help from him until I was established. And I shall not sneak
back to let my wife's father support me now. I'm going to drop out of
this game, Beatrice. It is for you to decide whether you go with me or
stay at the Villa Rosa." He stood up suddenly and came close to her,
looking down at her, in all her fragile loveliness, wondering, half
hoping, halfway expecting that a miracle might happen even as he had
hoped for the miracle of his fortune--that at this late hour she might
cease to be a mere Gorgeous Girl and understand.

Beatrice frowned, playing with her fan. "You look shabby and tired,"
she complained; "not my handsome Steve. You don't mean such things,
because you do love me and you know I could never be happy living any
other way. I'm all papa has and he wants me to have everything I want.
Of course I want this dear house and you and all that both of you
mean, so be a lamb and get dressed and papa will help you into some
nice safe business that can never fail."

She stood on her tiptoes, about to kiss him. But he pushed her away.

"You mean you won't begin with me, you won't take our one chance for
happiness? Just to begin together to learn and earn, be real? Do you
think for one instant I will be like Gay Vondeplosshe, subsisting on a
woman's bounty? No. I shall support my wife; it was never my wish that
we come here to live, and you insisted upon luxuries my purse could
not afford. In the main, to the outsider, I have supported you. But we
both know it is not true; I have merely been a needful accessory. From
now on I shall either support you or else not live with you. I ask you
to stop having a good ti