ink
that a man and woman can 'live their own lives' quite apart from each
other if they like. But they can't. When they are husband and wife they
are bound to exercise an enormous influence on each other's life; and
when two people are thoroughly out of sympathy with each other, life,
for both of them, is bound to be a failure."

"You think so?" Toni's mind had flown to her own unhappiness, but for
once Herrick did not read what was in her thoughts.

"Yes. Don't you? Now, looking at it dispassionately, how do you expect
Eva and me ever to re-discover the happiness we have so effectually
lost? Remember, Eva is convinced that all her sufferings are directly
due to me. She persists in thinking that if I had chosen I could either
have prevented her case ever going to court, or could have taken the
blame myself and gone to prison in her stead. The consequence is, she
hates me, resents my presence near her, and will bear me an undying
grudge all the days of her life."

"But you couldn't have taken the blame."

"Of course not, but women are often illogical, and Eva certainly is. No,
the fact remains that I represent, to Eva, the coward who condemned her
to a severe and mortifying punishment; and she won't forgive me."

"But in time----"

"Sometimes I am inclined to think it's a hopeless experiment--our life
together." Herrick spoke sombrely. "I have been wondering seriously of
late whether it would not be better to make over all my property to my
wife and rid her of my presence, I believe she would be happier by
herself."

"You mean--get a divorce?" faltered Toni.

"A divorce?" In spite of himself Herrick laughed. "Oh dear no. I don't
think I need take quite such drastic measures as that. What I thought
was to set Eva up somewhere, in some new place, where she could start
afresh, and then take myself off quietly--to California, or New Zealand,
or somewhere of the sort, where an able-bodied fellow like me can be
sure of picking up a living."

"But would Eva let you go?"

"Ah, there's the rub!" He spoke in a lighter tone. "When it came to the
point she might think that even an unsatisfactory husband was better
than none. But, speaking seriously, I believe two people so incompatible
as we two are better apart."

"Do you?" In the dark Toni's eyes were frightened. "Don't you think,
then, that one ought to stand by one's own actions? I mean if a husband,
say, honestly thought it would be better for his wife to be free