u cannot pretend
that Galbraith comes to see me."

"Why should I?" she asked.

"Well, it isn't right that he should come to see you, and I won't have
it," he reiterated.

"Do you mean that I am not to have any friends of my own?" she
demanded.

"_He_ is not to be one of your friends," Dan answered doggedly.

"And what explanation am I to give him, please?" she asked politely.

"I won't have you giving him any explanation."

"My dear Dan," she rejoined, "when you speak in that way, you show an
utter want of knowledge of my character. If I will not allow you to
insult me, and bully me, and bluster at me, it is not likely that I
will allow you to insult my friends. If Sir George Galbraith's visits
are to stop, I shall tell him the reason exactly. He at least is a
gentleman."

"That is as much as to say that I am not," Dan blustered.

"You certainly are not behaving like one now," Beth coolly rejoined.
"But there! You have my ultimatum. I am not going to waste any more
time in vulgar scenes with you."

"Ultimatum, indeed!" he jeered. "Well, you _are_, you know! You'll
write and explain to him, will you, that your husband's jealous of
him? That shows the terms you are on!"

"It is jealousy then, is it?" said Beth. "Thank you. Now I understand
you."

Dan's evil mood took another turn. His anger changed to self-pity. "Oh
dear! oh dear! what am I to do with you?" he exclaimed. "And after all
I've done for you--to treat me like this." He took out his
pocket-handkerchief and wiped away the tears which any mention of his
own goodness and the treatment he received from others always brought
to his eyes.

Beth watched him contemptuously, yet her heart smote her. He was a
poor creature, but for that very reason, and because she was strong,
surely she should be gentle with him.

"Look here, Dan," she said. "I have never knowingly done you any wrong
in thought, or word, or deed; all you have said to me to-day has been
ridiculously wrong-headed; but never mind. Stop crying, do, and don't
let us have any more idiotic jealousy. Why, it was Lady Galbraith who
sent me the flowers and fruit, with a kind message of apology because
she has not been able to call. Why should not she be jealous?"

"Oh, she's a fool!" Dan rejoined, recovering himself. "She leads him
the life of a dog with her fears and fancies, and she won't take any
part in his philanthropic work, though he wishes it. She's a pretty
pill!"

The servant came