with that look of self-conscious innocence which passionless wives instantly catch and dread.
"Well, you sweet thing, it sure went off great! They all liked my spiel. Why, you poor lonely girl, shame you have to sleep all alone here, poor baby!" he said, stroking her shoulder as she sat propped against the pillows. "Guess I'll have to come sleep here tonight."
She breathed hard, tried to look resolute. "Please! Not yet!"
"What do you mean?"
"Please! I'm tired tonight. Just kiss me good-night, and let me pop off to sleep."
"Meaning my attentions aren't welcome to Your Majesty!" He paced the floor. "Young woman, it's about time for a showdown! I've hinted at this before, but I've been as charitable and long-suffering as I could, but, by God, you've gotten away with too much, and then you try to pretend— 'Just kiss me good-night!' Sure! I'm to be a monk! I'm to be one of these milk-and-water husbands that's perfectly content to hang around the house and not give one little yip if his wife don't care for his method of hugging! Well, believe me, young woman, you got another guess coming, and if you think that just because I'm a preacher I'm a Willie-boy— You don't even make the slightest smallest effort to learn some passion, but just act like you had hard work putting up with me! Believe me, there's other women a lot better and prettier—yet, and more religious!—that haven't thought I was such a damn' pest to have around! I'm not going to stand— Never even making the slightest effort—"
"Oh, Elmer, I have! Honestly I have! If you'd only been more tender and patient with me at the very first, I might have learned—"
"Rats! All damned nonsense! Trouble with you is, you always were afraid to face hard facts! Well, I'm sick of it, young woman. You can go to the devil! This is the last time, believe me!"
He banged the door; he had satisfaction in hearing her sob that night; and he kept his vow about staying away from her, for almost a month. Presently he was keeping it altogether; it was a settled thing that they had separate bedrooms.
And all the while he was almost as confused, as wistful,
