little incident in life, it is not merely made up of one strong
feeling, otherwise men and women would be as the animals who pair and
part casually; therefore, if two people are disappointed in each other
in some things, they must have other things in common to fall back
upon. My ideal of life is love in marriage and loyal friends."

"It is interesting to hear you express these views," he said bitterly,
"considering what your experience has been."

"I don't see that my petty personal experience has anything to do with
the truth of the matter," said Beth, bridling somewhat. "You really
have a poor opinion of me if you think I shall allow my judgment to be
warped by anything that may happen to myself. Because my own
experience is not a happy one, you would have me declare that family
life is a mistake! Doubtless many an outcry is raised for no better
reason. But do you not see yourself that the tranquil home-life is the
most beautiful, the most conducive to the development of all that is
best in us--that there is nothing like the delight of being a member
of a large and united family. Can you come into a house like this and
not see it?"

"This house was not always a model of domestic felicity," he sneered.

"That proves my point," she rejoined. "The difficulties can be lived
down if people are right-minded."

"Your argument does not alter the fact that I am a miserable man," he
said dejectedly.

"You were not born to be a miserable man," she answered gently, "and
'we always may be what we might have been.' But you have lost much
ground, Alfred Cayley Pounce, since the days when you roamed about the
cliffs and sandy reaches of Rainharbour with Beth Caldwell, making
plans. You had your ideals then, and lived up to them. You cultivated
your flowers for delight in their beauty, and went to your modelling
for love of the work. You gave your flowers to your friends with an
honest intention to please; you modelled with honest ambition to do
good work. In those days you were above caring to cultivate the
acquaintance of the best people. You had touched the higher life at
that time; you had felt such rapture in it as has never come to you
since--even among the best people--I am sure; yet you fell away; you
deserted Beth--not basely, perhaps, but weakly; and you have been
deteriorating ever since."

He had started straight in his chair when she mentioned Beth Caldwell,
and was staring at her now with puzzled intentness.