hand.

"My dear Gerald, Mr. Freeland doesn't exist."

"Don't know about that; a man can always come to life, if he likes, in
his own family."

Lady Malloring was silent. It was true. For all their unanimity of
thought and feeling, for all the latitude she had in domestic and
village affairs, Gerald had a habit of filling his pipe with her
decisions. Quite honestly, she had no objection to their becoming smoke
through HIS lips, though she might wriggle just a little. To her
credit, she did entirely carry out in her life her professed belief that
husbands should be the forefronts of their wives. For all that, there
burst from her lips the words:

"That Freeland woman! When I think of the mischief she's always done
here, by her example and her irreligion--I can't forgive her. I don't
believe you'll make any impression on Mr. Freeland; he's entirely under
her thumb."

Smoking slowly, and looking just over the top of his wife's head,
Malioring answered:

"I'll have a try; and don't you worry!"

Lady Malloring turned away. Her soreness still wanted salve.

"Those two young people," she murmured, "said some very unpleasant
things to me. The boy, I believe, might have some good in him, but the