Sleeping Fires

er. A few had built country houses, the rest found abundant amusement at the hote

hoped for occasional long evenings with her husband and the opportunity to convince him that her companionship was more satisfying than that of his friends at the Club. She had n

ettiest wife in San Francisco; he worked the better because she was always lovely at the breakfast table and he could look forward to a brief dinner in her always radiant company. Thank God, she never had the blues nor carried a bottle of smelling salts abou

ng women as men understand the term, but you have Society, which is really all you want. Yearnings are merely a symptom of those accursed nerves. For God's sake forget them. Flirt all you choo

nionship of any other m

could stand. Three or four long evenings-well, we'd yawn i

w case papa sent to me. I have lost the resource of Society for several months,

a fine bluestocking when I rescued you. A successful woman-with her husband and with Society-has only sparkling

ere were tiny whirlwinds of dust in the unpaved streets. The bustling little city that Madeleine had thought so picturesque in its novelty suddenly lost its glamour. It looked as if parts of it had been flung together in a night between solid blocks imported from the olde

gia overwhelmed her. If Howard would only take her home for a visit! Alas! h

ut of town. She made up her mind to go for a walk, although she hardly knew where to go. Between mud and du

he reached the environs, knowing that if she did she would be followed; or if recognized, accused of the unpardonable sin. The heavy veil in the San Francisco of that day, sa

ass respectability, and lowered the veil over her smarting eyes. She also squared her shoulders and strode alo

ine, skirting the edge of the road to avoid disaster stared eagerly behind her veil. Here were the reckless and brilliant women of the demi-monde of whom she had heard so much, but to whom she had barely thrown a glance when driving with her husband. They were painted and dyed and kohled and their plumage would have excited the envy of birds in Paradise.

the gayest of the coaches she saw four of the young men who were among the most devoted of her cavaliers at dances: Alexander Groome, Amos Lawton, Ogden Bascom, and "Tom" Abbott, Jr. Groome was paying his addresses to Maria Ballinger, "a fine figure of a girl" who had inherited little of her mother's beauty but all of her virtue, and Madele

r do. She felt full of hope and buoyancy once more, not realizing

estaurant overhung the sea. On this side the blinds were down. It looked as if awaiting the undertaker. She pictured Howard's horror when she told him of her cl

lbot! No! As

e raised her veil. She

was only fifty but bal

e man in San Francisco

t in his hand, an ex

ment on

deleine coolly. "And I

xpression of deep respect. "That I can well imagine, cloistered as you are. But, if you will permit me to say so, it is hardly p

me, I look so tiresomely respectable in these stout walking clothes. Even you,

ss-there is a hack. It is waiting, but I think I can bribe him to take us in. You really

you will engage the hack-I shouldn

rs firmly. "Howard never would forg

I intend to tell him! But of co

uld be best. I'll

but a bill passed and

e said, "but I'll have

had employed him more than once. "The faster the bet

and I knew you got off your own beat by mistake. I think I'd have screwe

entered the hack, followed by Tr

the unfortunate possessor of a liver, my dear young lady, and must walk six mil

o raise one of the curtains. The interior was as

s. When we have reached the city, bu

ease, as I cannot look out. You alway

nd me entertaining. I've someti

dinner." Madeleine spoke in her gayest tones, but in truth she dreaded what the man m

tuously. "That sends me to the seventh heaven. How often sin

hear you talk. T

sco is as flat at prese

d you ever hear of

Who i

m. He tried to start a newspaper in Richmond but couldn't raise the capital. He went to New York and wrote for the newspapers there; also writes a good deal for the more

ters' in the Atlantic-I suppose it was-but I have forgotten what. Here, I have grown too frivolou

his exceptionally brilliant work. But he knows that San Francisco is the last stronghold of the South, and also that our people are generous and enterprising. I shall write him

ow this carriage does bounce.

of the curtain. "We shall reach

t her firmly in one of his lean wiry arms. At the moment she thought nothing of it, although she disliked the contact, but when she endeavored to disengage herself, he me

any one; it was just a natural impulse for a little adventure, wasn't

arms. "Oh, you can't get away, and I'm going to have that kiss. Yes, a dozen, by Jove.

ed herself once more with a dexterous twisting motion of her supple body, le

ol! What are you doing?

had the door open. She had all the strength of youth and perfect health, and he was worn out and shak

in the ditch, she sank back trembling and gasping. It was her first experience of the vileness of man, for the men of her day res

had made a ve

that Travers would keep his humiliation to himself and the incidents that led up to it; but if she told her husband and he lost his head the

would be at least an hour before she saw Howard. She

again and the coa

a'am," he said, as he opened t

d her purse. He accepted the large bil

. The Doctor and me's old friends. But I'm just glad old Ben got

was climbing b

bit of the world, I have-this is a hot city, all right-I just wouldn't say a

Thomas.

own the street as if t