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.