"How can you prevent me? You can't keep me a prisoner here and you
can't force me to take your money unless I wish to take it. You see?"

"The idea is preposterous, I tell you. You couldn't voluntarily go
back and live as you did before. It isn't in human nature."

"I can try."

"And if you do, you'll fail. And I'll tell you why! When we met you
were earning ten or twelve dollars a week."

"Ten," she corrected.

"On that you had to live and provide yourself with everything. You had
a little room in Harlem and used to hang on to a strap every morning
and night when you went to and from your work."

"Yes."

"And now you've had the touring car in the summer and the limousine in
the winter; when the weather was cold you had your furs, when it was
warm you had the yacht! Since we were married you have had every
luxury that money could give and luxury gets in the blood, my dear.
Luxury gets in the blood! It's got into mine! Could I, of my own free
will, go back and live as I used to live and be satisfied? Certainly
not! No more can you!"

"I can try," she said doggedly.

"Don't try," he pleaded. "Please don't! You're a dear, fine, sensible,
high-minded little woman, but you weren't made to fight against such
odds, and if you try it you'll fail. It's inevitable."

"Just the same I'm going to try it."

Her words were final. There was no recalling them. She was determined
upon a separation. So be it, he thought to himself. He was as proud,
as obstinate as she was. If she insisted on leaving him, he would not
argue with her any longer. Sternly he said:

"Then mark my words--you'll either send for me or you'll come back to
me."

"I won't, I tell you!" she retorted with spirit.

"That's what you think now."

"And it's what I shall always think!" she cried. "Send for you after
last night? Come back to you and these same conditions? Never! Never!"

Once more he softened. He could not forget in a moment's anger what
they had been to each other. Appealingly he said:

"Listen to me for just a minute, dear. You don't realize what you are
undertaking. You don't know what you propose to do. Please, please
don't do anything that is going to bring you so much misery and
unhappiness. Think it over a little while and then perhaps--"

"My mind is made up," she said firmly.

Going to her dressing table, she picked up her hat and placed it on
her head. Again he tried to dissuade her.

"Dearie!"

"I am quite decided