A Bachelor Husband

inks of lov

h is go

pened her door, which he had sh

were dressing for dinner, but Feathers was lounging a

his pockets and he was looking o

him breathlessly

flushed agitation of her face. "Is anythi

t to-night, that you had got two tickets . . ." She broke off agitatedly, only to rush on again. "Of course, I

but she was too much in earnest f

n the pier, so I'm told, I'll

ver her face and

or you to take me at all, really, but . . . but I knew Chris wanted to

ke music, and I'm sure you do, so we'll sna

ldn't have thought of it, if I had

h must be told, I'm very fond of music, so it will be a kindnes

en Marie slipped her hand into

he said, and fled away

t. It had cost her a great deal to refuse Chris' offer of that moonlit walk, but in her heart she knew that he ha

nough to know that he never forgot a thing that he wished to remember, and there w

of his pet snobberies, so Feathers declared, for Feathers himse

angled himself in a high collar in honor of Marie. At dinner Chris

our hair next," he said. "Not that i

nk so, but she was so grateful to him for haying rushed into the breach

iled grimly, m

d you that if you want to be in time for the show, you'll have to go without

ed. "And I'm quite ready when you

hild," said Chris. "Run

from the ta

. She walked down the room between the crowde

y with himself for the thought. He did not want to think of her as u

hy don't you come with

is eyes in fai

a stuffy concert hall a

liard room." Feathers answered irascibly.

m in utter amazeme

or what?" he a

k his chair rather

said curtly, and wal

e did not at all like the way in which Feathers had looked at him or the tone of voice in which he had spoken. As a rule, everyone looked upo

thers, old friends as they were! He be

Marie Celeste off to a concert and leave him to shift for him

Mrs. Heriot beside him, and he sta

wondering about som

front, and Mrs. Heriot always looked her best in a half-light, as do

ably, and there was a fluffy white fur round her t

he was just in a mood to accept the soothing flattery

fore," she challenged him. "What is t

one to a

along the road together Just now." She pau

articu

re very keen on games are ever fond of mu

not," h

hery wrap closer

venly night? Wh

ly. "I've nothing to do.

alf-light. "Well, then, 68 shall we tak

on!" Chris e

ple do? I know I'm not a romantic person, but I

on his arm. "Do! I

fectious, and after the smal

ght. Can we

they went down the sands to look for an old boatman from

h yer?" he asked, as he dragged

aughed and lo

n to row us on th

e a wry l

able to manage withou

and and followed

ripple on the water, and the moon was risin

he cool water, and her diamond ri

that horrid, stuffy old billi

, which he had forgotten for the mome

rd room. . . . You spend too m

uce had Fea

rs. Heriot demanded, and he r

eard

don't yo

ell, there's more ai

to agree with anyone," she said. She

the nights in India,

comment, and

out there must all hav

ckly, doesn't it?"

in this mood before, a

ounger than Mrs. Lawless, I should think!" She laughed rather bitterly. "I thought I was going to be 'happy ever after,

candid," Chris

it always pay

ged his

t thought

ople don't like me because

lls a little and, resting on the

s face. Mrs. Heriot was amusin

ette." Chris handed her his case, but she waved

as sh

e smoke?" she

ulls again. "I'm afraid

the word qui

ve said 'glad,' perhaps." He c

moment, then she said, energetically: "Don'

his cigarette. "Yes." She smiled teasingl

home night after night, tied to a woman's apron strings, dropping all one's pals . . ." He broke off, coloring warmly. He had said a great deal more

nine!" She turned and looked out over the smooth sea. "Let's row out to that boat," she said suddenly. She indic

there is nobody there. D

because he made it a rule never to do what he knew was expected of him he

nd a lantern tied to her bow, b

p of her hands and ca

ard," she said. "Go c

ed out her hand and caught at a rope h

excitedly. "Oh, we must go

will be horribly dirty

ing up, holdi

around at him. "I believe you don'

culls without anoth

trespassing," he said,

king gently on the smooth water. Mrs. Heriot clapped her hands like a delighted child.

the days when we used to hide in ru

were to be met with in every

all amused. He thought the whole adventure silly, which merely showed that

town looked a long way off, though very faintly in the dista

athetically, then

They're playing 'G

is watch-it wa

e wondered uncomfortably what Feathe

kiff, then he stifled an oath, for the painter he had fastened 72 loo

rightened; she loved sensation and what she was pleased to call "thrills" and it was rather exciting

nd then, with a quick glance at his face: "Oh, yo

nswered vehemently that such an idea had never entered his head, which was the tr

do?" she asked again, and Chr

t and bring it

as he spoke and Mrs.

ful in the moonlight! What will become of

" said Chris impatiently, "and we

ining hand and clambe

iot hid

thing happens to you,"

d without

e was hampered by his clothes, but he got hold of the skiff and dragg

tempt to touch him again. In his drenched condition he did not look very romantic

ave of you,"

. He steadied the skiff while she climbed ba

l people say?" Mrs. He

r; his teeth were

y say? It was

't believe it. People

ce dar

underst

d a littl

for you and I-to be

he knew there was something in what

ve what they cho

her face wit

've always hated scandal. And . . .

lip; he had fo

it I can land you further down the beach away from the hotel, so that nobody will kn

ut into gus

l be all Right! Nobody saw us come out toge

close in shore. Then he said: "I can beach her her

. you can't, you simply

p at her wi

underst

so bad, and I'm sure she will be jealous. People with dark eyes like hers are always dreadfully jealous." Her

little sil

f the boat was not to be seen, and Chris tied it up securely and ran for the hotel. If only it had been a dark night, he thought as he ran. The cursed moon made everything

would have gone on without spea

're soaking wet. Not another accident, su

in a skiff and the

n hurriedly: "Here, I want to change. I'm as cold as blazes

silently and Chris

le in his life. He had a hot bat

he rest of it, he told himself, but a

imagine what had possessed him to go out with her; he congratulated him

o Marie's room. He could hear her movi

me

o her as effectually as he had done to Feathers; somehow he ra

t dinner that night, and was sitting at

went f

lightly. He stood beside her, leaning

ter all?" Marie asked. She

o the light, or he might have s

e moon with vindictive eyes. "I took a ski

full of alarm. "Oh, Chris,

t was a cold bath I can tell you. I had to change and make myself p

enjoyed it a bit; her thoughts had been with him all the

onderfully sweet and dainty in the moonlight, and

neymoon, Marie Celeste,"

till, but she did not speak, and he went on with an effort to get 7

y yet that yo

r head, "Of

nd go, chille

in the world-better than I, who wo

t; a little broken

e I would have marri

such a kid! In a year or so

too," she told him

ughed sc

een a woman's ma

one small ray of hope in her darkness that if he did

long sigh o

Don't sit by the window any more. It's gettin

ly, and he drew the window down. They looke

ht, Marie

, and, moved by some impulse he could not ex

me-wil

her face aw

d rathe

ll. Good

ord, and Marie stood where he had left he

d refused-refused, though 77 her whole

to do only the best thing for his happiness, and yet she had been mi

red to go. Perhaps he would only kiss her in the old careless way as

fore her. But half a loaf was no good to her, starving for love as she wa

the handle, but each time she came b

en it without waiting for so poor a thing as her permission. Her cheeks burned as s

ugly face and his heart of gold. Did he know, she wondered, what sort of a marriage hers was? If so, he h

ed to it-I must

-but they seemed like years. The pain had not lessened,

piness as anyone else. After all, what was the use of straining afte

; she knew that Chris' room was the one next to hers, with

d now, and she could see a thin st

ood there in the subdued light of the passage, her

knock at his door when suddenly she hear

g it, but it's nothing to do with you, and I'll thank you to mind your own confounded business. It was an accident that the skiff drifted away, I tell you! And it's a darned lucky thing I could swim

, quite quietly, an

it's no business of mine, but as Mrs. Heriot is the class of woman she is, I say that you ought to tell y

t do you mean, 'the class of woman Mr

sheer "cussedness" of his nature drove him to defend her; if Feathers

ie's sake than for any other reason; he could not understand the circumstances of this marriage at all

w you besides myself? A nice garbled version of it she might hear! It could be worked up properly, I

ock about with that woman for, beats me! She's made

the coals in such a manner, more especially as Feathers had

doesn't bore me to death, as the rest of her sex d

nto the numbed brain of poor little Marie Celeste as

include her! Oh, how could he be so cruel! How could

if her husband's harsh words had been a

. . . Marie Celeste fell face downwards on the bed, crushing her face into the pillow so that her broken-hearted sobbing