This pleased him; it relieved him from the necessity of providing for the home, and enabled him to follow his own inclination, which was to take things easily--to be an idle man, with a little ready money in his pocket for betting and other pleasures.

The money was now provided out of "our business." This state of things continued without any change, except that process of degeneration which continued in him, until the child was about four years old, when all at once one day he told her they were not doing as well as they might.

She was giving far too much of her time and attention to domestic matters--to the child especially.

Business was business--a thing it was hard for a woman to understand--and it was impossible for her to give her mind properly to it with her thoughts occupied with the child.

It couldn't be done.