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 if I were you," she ventured to suggest. "He's had it pretty fierce this year."

"He has it fierce every year," Fay retorted, searching for a dry spot on her handkerchief. "No sooner does he get one iron out of the fire than he sticks two more in."

"But George has lost a lot of money, you know." Eleanor reminded solemnly.

"Lost money?" Fay curled a tear-swollen lip. "Oh, no!" and she shook her head with a satirical smile. "My husband doesn't lose money. He makes it! Year after year he makes it, and saves out a pittance for himself, and chucks all the rest back into the business, and borrows every cent he can lay his hands on besides."

"Fay Judson!" remonstrated Eleanor, who had listened to this speech with amazement and a sense of shock. "Is it possible you do not know that your husband's company lost money this year? Big money! Away into the millions?"

Fay stiffened proudly and stared. "Oh, no!" she exclaimed in an icy voice with a proud toss of her head. "Oh, no! You are quite mistaken. Quite!"

It was Eleanor's turn to stare. Such blind ignorance combined with such colossal self-satisfaction was truly sublime. "Well!" she retorted in withering tones. "If your husband finds it as hard to tell you anything as I do,