But however disabled, her friend resumed: "The only safe way for you is
to take the ground that so long as you wear your husband's name you must
honor it, no matter how cruel and indifferent to you he has been."

"Yes," assented Mrs. Maynard ruefully, "of course."

"I mean that you must n't even have the appearance of liking admiration,
or what you call attentions. It's wicked."

"I suppose so," murmured the culprit.

"You have been brought up to have such different ideas of divorce from
what I have," continued Grace, "that I don't feel as if I had any right
to advise you about what you are to do after you gain your suit."

"I shall not want to get married again for one while; I know that much,"
Mrs. Maynard interpolated self-righteously.

"But till you do gain it, you ought not to regard it as emancipating you
in the slightest degree."

"No," came in sad assent from the victim of the law's delays.

"And I want you to promise me that you won't go walking with Mr. Libby
any more; and that you won't even see him alone, after this."

"Why, but Grace!" cried Mrs. Maynard, as much in amazement as in
annoyance. "You don't seem to understand! Have n't I told you he was a
friend of the family? He's quite as much Mr. Maynard's friend as he is
mine. I'm sure," she added, "if I asked Mr. Libby, I should never think