Page 148 (1/2)

"After all, itin the earlier years of matronhood, and he interpreted her

listless acquiescence in his decrees as faith in the soundness of

his judgment, the infallibility of his decisions No woman of sense

and spirit ever beco obedience to a

h apathy--fatal torpor of mind or heart

Of this fact in norant He was no better versed in the lore of the heart feminine

than when he accepted Mabel Aylett's esteeard in

lieu of the shy, but ardent attachment a betrothed maiden should

have for the one she hly, and loved her better than he did

anybody else She was the one wonized as his sister's

superior--suprerity

and ainsaying;

while Clara's clever dicta required ing to separate the

probably spurious fro

his wife, was seldom affectionate, it was never careless, as that

which replied to his sister's raillery

"Generally," he said in his metallic, unmodulated voice "The man

ould cast away health, usefulness, and fortune in his chagrin

at not winning the hand of a shallow-pated, volatile flirt, must be