s when he mercifully remained away on the
pretext of business. What he did gave her little concern.

Once she ventured to talk frankly with him about the wisdom of a legal
separation. It was foolish to go on in this way. It was dishonest; it was
the only immorality.

He laughed her to scorn. "You're too useful to me, my dear," he sneered. He
always added that "my dear" to any statement when he wished to be
thoroughly sarcastic.

He was conscious that certain captains of business would not have come so
frequently to his home if Lucia had not been there to dispense a supposedly
gracious hospitality. Let her go? Lose all this? Not at all! He brutally
told her so again and again. And finally she made up her mind, for the sake
of peace, that she would merely remain the flower under glass, if that was
his desire. Arguments were of no avail. In a sense, she was beaten.

The opera, books, travel, a few good friends--those that Morgan allowed
her to keep--these filled her days.

One evening she was particularly surprised when he said to her, casually:

"How would you like a little trip out West? You look peaked. Maybe it would
set you up."

"Why--it sounds nice, Morgan," she answered. "Is it business, or--" Her
sense of humor made it impossible for her to bring out the word "pleasure."

"Of course it's business," he replied. "Precious little else I get." They
were dining alone, at home, and he motioned the butler to refill his glass
with champagne.

She wondered at his suggestion. There must be something behind it. But as a
matter of fact she was tired of Long Island, and if she could kill a few
weeks--maybe a few months--in the West, she would willingly go.

"Sturgis telegraphed me that there was a big possibility of a new vein of
oil down on the border," Pell was telling her. "Some important men want to
talk things over with me at Bisbee. I want to get started in a day or two.
Don't take your maid. It's a rough country, but you'll be all right. Just
old clothes. You can ride a lot, so bring your habit. I'll be busy most of
the time; but I think you'll like the trip. Never been down that way, have
you?"

"No," she said. "And I've always wanted to go."

"Not afraid of bandits?" he laughed, sipping his champagne. "It's right
next door to Mexico, you know. Have some swell times down there, they say."

She laughed too. "How exciting," she said. She grew almost jubilant at the
prospect of the journey. She knew she woul