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 to be unjust or cruel; but if they can't get their way about everything, they are not above using any weapon they can lay their hands on."

Edward did not understand the half of what his father was saying; but he knew that he was being treated as an equal, and the knowledge comforted him and made him very proud.

"You don't think I broke it, do you, father?"

"Why should I? I have your word for it that you didn't. Men don't have to lie to each other to get along."

A hint could hardly have been stronger.

"Do men?" asked Edward, "ever have to lie to women?"

"I'm afraid so, Eddie," said his father. "It's the only way sometimes . . . I've tried to reason with your mother about this business. But she's taken her position. And—well, you know as well as I do what that position is. You have told her the truth, and there is no power on earth which can make her believe you. There's the whole miserable matter in a nutshell. . . . I've tried prayer, old man, but here you are."

Edward clung to his father's hand.

"I prayed God to make mother believe me," he said, "but He's known mother so much longer than He's known me that I guess He'd take her side."