After the Storm

Not long after Miss Carman retired, Emerson came in. At the sound of

his approaching footsteps, Irene had, with a strong effort, composed

herself and swept back the deeper shadows from her face.

"Not ready yet?" he said, in a pleasant, half-chiding way. "The

carriages will be at the door in ten minutes."

"I am not going to ride out," returned Irene, in a quiet, seemingly

indifferent tone of voice. Hartley mistook her manner for sport, and

answered pleasantly-"Oh yes you are, my little lady."

"No, I am not." There was no misapprehension now.

"Not going to ride out?" Hartley's brows contracted.

"No; I am not going to ride out to-day." Each word was distinctly

spoken.

"I don't understand you, Irene."

"Are not my words plain enough?"

"Yes, they are too plain--so plain as to make them involve a

mystery. What do you mean by this sudden change of purpose?"

"I don't wish to ride out," said Irene, with assumed calmness of

manner; "and that being so, may I not have my will in the case?"

"No--"

A red spot burned on Irene's cheeks and her eyes flashed.

"No," repeated her husband; "not after you have given up that will

to another."

"To you!" Irene started to her feet in instant passion. "And so I am

to be nobody, and you the lord and master. My will is to be nothing,

and yours the law of my life." Her lip curled in contemptuous anger.

"You misunderstand me," said Hartley Emerson, speaking as calmly as

was possible in this sudden emergency. "I did not refer specially to

myself, but to all of our party, to whom you had given up your will

in a promise to ride out with them, and to whom, therefore, you were

bound."

"An easy evasion," retorted the excited bride, who had lost her

mental equipoise.

"Irene," the young man spoke sternly, "are those the right words for

your husband? An easy evasion!"

"I have said them."

"And you must unsay them."

Both had passed under the cloud which pride and passion had raised.

"Must! I thought you knew me better, Hartley." Irene grew suddenly

calm.

"If there is to be love between us, all barriers must be removed."

"Don't say _must_ to me, sir! I will not endure the word."

Hartley turned from her and walked the floor with rapid steps,

angry, grieved and in doubt as to what it were best for him to do.

The storm had broken on him without a sign of warning, and he was

wholly unprepared to meet it.

"Irene," he said, at length, pausing before her, "this conduct on

your part is wholly inexplicable. I cannot understand its meaning.

Will you explain yourself?"

"Certainly. I am always ready to give a reason for my conduct," she

replied, with cold dignity.