hat puts an entirely new face on the matter," he said, trying to
speak calmly. "The question, instead of merely concerning the next few
weeks, concerns our whole lives."

She tried to summon all her strength, all her faculties, for the shock
of battle.

"Just so," she answered

"Then we must go over the matter very fully," he said. His command
over himself grew more easy. He believed that what he had to do was to
be patient, and talk her out of her absurdity. "You must understand,
of course," he went on, smiling at her tenderly, "that I want to
support my wife, and that I am able to support my wife. I want to
protect her--shield her--have her lean upon me. I want her to be the
goddess of my home. The goddess of my home, Katherine! That's what I
want. You understand, dear, don't you?"

She saw that he confidently expected her to yield to his ideal and
accept it, and she now knew that she could never yield. She paused a
space before she spoke, in a sort of terror of what might be the
consequence of the next few moments.

"I understand you," she said, duplicating his tone of reason. "But
what shall I do in the home? I dislike housework."

"There's no need of your doing it," he promptly returned. "I can
afford servants."

"Then what shall I do in the home?" she repeated.

"Take things easy. Enjoy yourself."

"But I don't want to enjoy myself. I want to do things. I want to
work."

"Come, come, be reasonable," he said, with his tolerant smile. "You
know that's quite out of the question."

"Since you are going to pay servants," she persisted, "why should I
idle about the house? Why should not I, an able-bodied person, be out
helping in the world's work somehow--and also helping you to earn a
living?"

"Help me earn a living!" He flushed, but his resentment subsided.
"When I asked you to marry me I implied in that question that I was
able and willing to support you. Really, Katherine, it's quite absurd
for you to talk about it. There is no financial necessity whatever for
you to work."

"You mean, then, that I should not work because, in you, I have enough
to live upon?"

"Of course!"

"Do you know any man, any real man I mean," she returned quickly, "who
stops work in the vigour of his prime merely because he has enough
money to live upon? Would you give up your work to-morrow if some one
were willing to support you?"

"Now, don't be ridiculous, Katherine! That's quite a different
question. I'm a man,