definite act. She held out the
ring, but Babcock shook his head.

"The law doesn't work as quick as that, nor the church either. You can
get a divorce if you're set on it, Selma. But we're husband and wife
yet."

"Only the husk of our marriage is left. The spirit is dead," she said
sententiously. "I am going away. I cannot pass another night in this
house. If you will not take this ring, I shall leave it here."

Babcock turned to hide the tears which blinded his eyes. Selma regarded
him a moment gravely, then she laid her wedding-ring on the table and
went from the room.

She put her immediate belongings into a bag and left the house. She had
decided to go to Mrs. Earle's lodgings where she would be certain to
find shelter and sympathy. Were she to go to her aunt's she would be
exposed to importunity on her husband's behalf from Mrs. Farley, who was
partial to Lewis. Her mind was entirely made up that there could be no
question of reconciliation. Her duty was plain; and she would be doing
herself an injustice were she to continue to live with one so weak and
regardless of the honor which she had a right to demand of the man to
whom she had given her society and her body. His gross conduct had
entitled her to her liberty, and to neglect to seize it would be to
condemn herself to continuous unhappiness, for this overt act of his was
merely a definite proof of the lack of sympathy between them, of which
she had for some time been well aware at heart. As she walked along the
street she was conscious that it was a relief to her to be sloughing off
the garment of an uncongenial relationship and to be starting life
afresh. There was nothing in her immediate surroundings from which she
was not glad to escape. Their house was full of blemishes from the
stand-point of her later knowledge, and she yearned to dissociate
herself, once and for all, from the trammels of her pitiful mistake. She
barely entertained the thought that she was without means. She would
have to support herself, of course, but it never occurred to her to
doubt her ability to do so, and the necessity added a zest to her
decision. It would be plain sailing, for Mrs. Earle had more than once
invited her to send copy to the _Benham Sentinel_, and there was no form
of occupation which would be more to her liking than newspaper work. It
was almost with the mien of a prisoner escaped from jail that she walked
in upon her friend and said:

"I have left my husba