tired man. After a moment she repeated gently, "And the dinner,
dear--?"

"No,--don't wait for me; I'll not be long. Have it brought in at once,
and--send the man into the office, please."

He stooped and kissed the children, and turning away, went into his
office and closed the door behind him.






A WORKING BASIS

BY ABBY MEGUIRE ROACH


Why she married him her friends wondered at the time. Those she made
later wondered more. Before long she caught herself wondering. Yes,
she had seen it beforehand, more or less. But she had seen other
things as well: he had developed unevenly, unexpectedly, if logically.
There had been common tastes--which grew obsolete or secondary. As the
momentum of what she believed and hoped of him ran down with them
both, he crystallized into the man he was, and no doubt virtually had
always been.

It was bad enough to have to ask for money, but to have it counted out
to you, to be questioned about it like a child, was worse.