most, "_Mamma died this morning_." In a
moment it flashed upon her that Dan had read the letter, and was
waiting now to see the effect of the shock upon her. She immediately,
but involuntarily, set herself to baffle his cruel curiosity. With a
calm, illegible face she read the letter from beginning to end, folded
it, and put it back in its envelope deliberately, then took up another
which had also been opened.

But suppressed feeling finds vent in some form or other, and Beth
showed temper now instead of showing grief. "I wish you would not open
my letters," she said irritably. "All the freshness of them is gone
for me when you open them without my permission and read them first.
Besides, it is an insult to my correspondents. What they say to me is
intended for me, and not for you."

"I have a perfect right to open your letters," he retorted.

"I should like to see the Scripture that gives you the right, and I
should advise you to waive it if you do not wish me to assume the
right to open yours. Your petty prying keeps me in a continual state
of irritation. I shall be lowered to retaliate sooner or later. So
stop it, please, once and for all."

"My petty prying, indeed!" he exclaimed. "Well, that is a nice thing
to say to your husband! Why, even when I do open your letters, which
is not often, I never read them without your permission."

"Indeed," said Beth, who had ceased to be stunned by falsehoods. "Then
be good enough not even to open them in future."

Dan tried to express injury and indignation in a long, hard look; but
Beth was reading another letter, and took no further notice of him.

He hung about a little watching her.

"Any news," he ventured at last, with an imperfect assumption of
indifference.

"You know quite well what my news is," she answered bluntly, "and I am
not going to discuss it with you. I wish you would leave me alone."

"Well, you're a nice pill!" said Dan, discomfited.

Beth looked up at him. "What are you doing with your hat on in my
bedroom?" she asked sharply. "I thought I had made you understand that
you must treat me with respect, even if I am your wife."

Dan uttered a coarse oath, and left the room, banging the door after
him.

"Thank Heaven--at last!" Beth ejaculated. She had been too anxious to
get rid of him to scruple about the means, but when he had gone a
reaction set in, and she lay back on her pillows, flushed, excited,
furious with him, disgusted with herself. S