Revelations of a Wife | Page 9

"I know that club game; it's the limit.
There's nothing in it. They'll pay only a beggarly sum, and you'll be tied

to that same afternoon once a week for a year. Suppose we had
something we wanted to do on that day? We would have to let it go
hang."
"I suppose if we had something we wanted to do on a day when you
had a commission to execute you would leave your work and go," I
answered quietly.
"That's entirely different," returned Dicky. "I'm responsible for the
support of this family. You are not. All you have to do is to enjoy
yourself and make home comfortable for me."
We were interrupted by the door bell. Dicky went to the door while I
hastily dropped the portiers between the living room and the dining
room. I heard Dicky's deep voice in greeting.
"This is good of you, Lil," and Lillian Gale came into the room with
outstretched hand.
"Perhaps I shouldn't have come so soon," she said, "but you see I am
bound to know you, even if Dicky does spirit you away when we want
you to join us."
She threw him a laughing glance as she clasped my hand.
"I am so glad you have come," I said cordially, but inwardly I fiercely
resented her intrusion, as I deemed it.
But what was my horror to hear Dicky say casually:
"You've come at a most opportune time, Lil. Madge has had an offer
from some woman's club to do a lecturing stunt on history, her
specialty, you know, and she wants to take it. I wish you'd help me
persuade her out of it."
"I cannot imagine why we should trouble Mrs. Underwood with so
personal a matter," I heard myself saying faintly.
Mrs. Underwood laughed boisterously. "Why, I'm one of the family,

my dear child," she said heartily. Then she looked at me keenly.
"I might have known that one man would have no chance with two
women," Dicky growled. His tone held capitulation. I knew I had won
my battle. But was it my victory or this woman's I so detested?
"Don't let this man bully you," she advised half-laughingly. "He's
perfectly capable of it. I know him. By all means accept the offer if you
think it's worth while. All these husbands are a bit archaic yet, you
know. They don't realize that women have joined the human race."
"Come, Dicky-bird," she rattled on as she saw his darkening face.
"Don't be silly. You'll have to give in. You're just 50 years behind the
times, you know."
During the remainder of Mrs. Underwood's brief call she ignored Dicky,
and devoted herself to me. There is no denying the fact that she has
great charm when she chooses to exercise it. Dicky, however, appeared
entirely oblivious of it, sitting in moody silence until she rose to go.
"You ought to preserve that grouch," she carelessly advised, as he stood
holding the door open for her. "Carefully corked in a glass jar, it ought
to keep to be given to your grandchildren as a horrible example."
Dicky grinned reluctantly and bowed low as she passed out of the room
with a cordial adieu to me, but no sooner had the door closed behind
her than he turned to me angrily.
"Look here, Madge," he exclaimed, "are you really in earnest about
taking that blasted position?"
"Why! of course I am," I answered. "It seems providential, coming just
as you insist upon having the maid. I can engage one with a clear
conscience now."
Dicky sprang to his feet with a muttered word that sounded
suspiciously like an oath, and began to walk rapidly up and down the
room, his hands behind his back, and his face dark with anger. Up and

down, up and down he paced, while I, sitting quietly in my chair,
waited, nerving myself for the scene I anticipated.
When it came, however, it surprised me with the turn it took. Dicky
stopped suddenly in his pacing, and coming swiftly over to me,
dropped on one knee beside my chair and put his arms around me.
"Sweetheart," he said softly, "I don't want to quarrel about this, nor do I
wish to be unreasonable about it. But, really, it means an awful lot to
me. I don't want you to do it. Won't you give it up for me?"
I returned Dicky's kiss, and held him tightly as I answered:
"Dear boy, I'll think it over very carefully. If I possibly can, I will do as
you wish. But, remember, I say if I can. I haven't made you a definite
promise yet."
"But you will, I know; that's my own dear girl. Good-by. I'll have to
rush back to the studio now."
Dicky's