Eleanor had herself well in hand, but the occasional break in her voice
evidenced the strain.

"There was a so-called club in Colorado Springs whose members included
the wildest young men of the town and several of the younger ranchmen
who were able to stand the pace. In this Ralph was a leading spirit,
drinking and gambling with that abandon which was his dominant
characteristic. 'Buckner is a poor gambler but a good loser,' one of
them is reported to have said, but that only meant that Ralph succeeded
in concealing his real feelings until he reached home; for it was his
wife who received the full force of the reaction as his brain cleared
from the fumes of the liquor and he came to a realization of his
losses."

She paused and looked at her companion, and encouraged by Alice's rapt
attention continued:

"Our baby was born a year after we were married--"

"I never knew of that," the girl said, quietly.

"Don't," was the reply; "I can't go on if you weaken me by your
sympathy."

"Forgive me, dear Eleanor," Alice murmured.

"By that time every remnant of a tie which held us together had
disappeared. The child, however, was a real link, and for a little while
gave us something to think of besides ourselves. For a year, perhaps,
Ralph went less frequently to Colorado Springs, and I came to think that