"People will be there whom I should meet, and people whom I want you to meet." He saw a shadow creep into his wife's face; Mrs.Ridley saw the shadow reflected almost as a frown from his.

She knew what was in her husband's thoughts, knew that he felt hurt and restless under her continued reluctance to have him go into any company where wine and spirits were served to the guests, and feeling that a longer opposition might do more harm than good, answered, with as much heartiness and assent as she could get into her voice: "Very well, but it will cost you the price of a new dress, for I have nothing fit to appear in." The shadow swept off Mr.Ridley's face.
"All right," he returned.

"I received a fee of fifty dollars to-day, and you shall have every cent; of it." In the week that intervened Mrs.Ridley made herself ready for the party; but had she been preparing for a funeral, her heart could scarcely have been heavier.

Fearful dreams haunted her sleep, and through the day imagination would often draw pictures the sight of which made her cry out in sudden pain and fear.

All this she concealed from her husband, and affected to take a pleased interest in the coming entertainment.
Mrs.Ridley was still a handsome woman, and her husband felt the old pride warming his bosom when he saw her again among brilliant and attractive women and noted the impression she made.