Page:Man's Country (1923).pdf/185

 She became instantly stiff and unresponsive in his arms. "What principle?" she demanded.

He explained it to her with earnest but humble and, he hoped, convincing elaboration—the principle of business before pleasure. Fay received this explanation, which was also an admonition. She was, she told herself, a sensible married woman. She saw the reasonableness of such a position, taking his business circumstances into account; yet her pride resented such reasonableness utterly.

"You see," she said, with a conclusive gesture, "that's what I meant about needing a long honeymoon. That's the kind of adjustment we have to make."

George, however, was still of the opinion that their every difference could be laughed and kissed away.

But she would not let him kiss her. "Do you know, George," she warned him soberly, "that you have a way sometimes of thinking things are settled when they aren't?"

"Why, how's that, sweetheart?" He was innocently bland.

"Because you out-argue me. Because you oversway me with the rush of your personality, and I'm sympathetic and weak and defenseless and love you so much that I haven't the heart to say anything back. You think I am convinced, and sometimes I think I am too, because