d said:

"I wonder what the West will be like. Do you know I think I am going to
like it, Curtis?"

"It will be starting in all over again, old girl. Pretty hard at first,
I'm afraid."

"Hard--now?" She took his hand and laid it to her cheek.

"By all the rules you ought to hate me," he began. "What have I done for
you but hurt you, and at last bring you to----"

But she shut her gloved-hand over his mouth.

"The world is all before us where to choose, now, isn't it?" she
answered. "And this big house and all the life we have led in it was
just an incident in our lives--an incident that is closed."

"We're starting all over again, honey.... Well, there's the carriage, I
guess."

They rose, gathering up their valises.

"Ho!" said Jadwin. "No servants now, Laura, to carry our things down for
us and open the door; and it's a hack, old girl, instead of the
victoria."

"What if it is?" she cried. "What do servants, money, and all amount to
now?"

As Jadwin laid his hand upon the knob of the front door, he all at once
put down his valise and put his arm about his wife. She caught him about
the neck, and looked deep into his eyes a long moment, and then, without
speaking, they kissed each other.

* * * * *

GEORGES OHNET

The Ironmaster

Georges Ohnet, one of the most prolific and popular of French
novelists and playwrights, was born in Paris on April 3, 1848.
His father was an architect, and, after a period devoted to
the study of law, Georges Ohnet adopted a journalistic career.
He first came into prominence as the part-author of the drama
"Regina Sarpi," in 1875. "The Ironmaster, or Love and Pride,"
was originally conceived as a play, and as such was submitted
in vain to the theatrical managers of Paris. It was entitled
"Marrying for Money" ("Les Mariages d'Argent") and on its
rejection he laid it aside and directed his attention to the
novel, "Serge Panine." This was immediately successful, and
was crowned with honour by the French Academy. Its author
adapted it as a play, and then, in 1883, did the opposite with
"Les Manages d'Argent," calling it "Le Maitre de Forges." As a
novel, "The Ironmaster," with its dramatic plot and strong,
moving story, attracted universal attention, and has been
translated into several European languages.

_I.--The Faithless Lover_

The Chate