es or words for Marie until the edge of his appetite was
satisfied. She did not yet understand this very well; she was inclined
to a slight resentment in his absorption with his dinner to the
exclusion of herself. But she did not interrupt him by chatter; she
just sat there quietly observing until he should be ready for more
conversation.

Presently she brought his coffee round to his side, and he lighted a
cigarette with a sigh of satisfaction. He appreciated, indefinitely,
her gift of silence when a man came in sharpset for dinner; he had
spent a day among busy men, talking all the time, and he did not wish
to talk any more. After all, a man came home for quiet.

Marie had spent the day alone with the baby. There had been no voice
save her singing one uplifted in the flat since early morning; she
wanted to sit with Osborn by the fire in their dear old way, and to
talk and talk; and to hear him talk. After all, was not the
companionable evening the time for which the lonely household woman
lived through her silent day?

She brought her coffee to a place near him and sat down there.

"Osborn," she said, "I was awf'ly hurt that you were so angry last
night. I do want you to see that it isn't my fault."

He looked at her rather appealingly. "Let's chuck it," he suggested.

"If you will only understand! I don't believe men think; but if you
_would_ think over it for just a few minutes, dear old boy, you'd
know that I'm just as careful as a woman can be. You used to give me
thirty shillings a week for the housekeeping before we had baby; and
I've never asked you for any more since, have I? And his food's awf'ly
expensive too. I manage on just the same, Osborn."

"Yes, yes," he said, moving uneasily, "but where's all this leading? I
mean--"

"It isn't leading anywhere. I only wanted you to see that I can't help
anything."

After a pause, with a little line between his brows, he said:

"No, I know you can't. It's all right. You said some perfectly awful
things last night--"

"So did you, Osborn."

He rose slowly. "Well, dear, we won't go over it. We've seen things
with the gilt off; and that's that. Anyhow, there's nothing to worry
about, is there? We're about straight with the world, though it means
every penny earmarked before I earn it. And there's no question of
buying a pram now, thank God!"

He turned away and searched on the mantelpiece for matches. "It made
me shudder," he said very gravely, "three-po