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when he did so paid no attention to what he said。 She
sank back into the hansom and held her muff before her
face； lowering it occasionally to utter laconic remarks
about the people in the carriages they passed； interrupt…
ing Fred's narrative in a disconcerting manner。 As they
entered the Park he happened to glance under her wide
black hat at her black eyes and hairthe muff hid every…
thing elseand discovered that she was crying。 To his
solicitous inquiry she replied that it 〃was enough to make
you damp； to go and try on dresses to marry a man you
weren't keen about。〃
Further explanations followed。 She had thought she
was 〃perfectly cracked〃 about Brisbane； until she met
Fred at the Holland House three days ago。 Then she
knew she would scratch Brisbane's eyes out if she married
him。 What was she going to do？
Fred told the driver to keep going。 What did she want
to do？ Well； she didn't know。 One had to marry some…
body； after all the machinery had been put in motion。
Perhaps she might as well scratch Brisbane as anybody
else； for scratch she would； if she didn't get what she
wanted。
Of course； Fred agreed； one had to marry somebody。
And certainly this girl beat anything he had ever been up
against before。 Again he told the driver to go ahead。 Did
she mean that she would think of marrying him； by any
chance？ Of course she did； Alphonse。 Hadn't he seen that
all over her face three days ago？ If he hadn't； he was a
snowball。
By this time Fred was beginning to feel sorry for the
driver。 Miss Beers； however； was compassionless。 After
a few more turns； Fred suggested tea at the Casino。 He
was very cold himself； and remembering the shining silk
hose and pumps； he wondered that the girl was not frozen。
As they got out of the hansom； he slipped the driver a bill
and told him to have something hot while he waited。
At the tea…table； in a snug glass enclosure； with the steam
sputtering in the pipes beside them and a brilliant winter
sunset without； they developed their plan。 Miss Beers had
with her plenty of money； destined for tradesmen； which
she was quite willing to divert into other channelsthe
first excitement of buying a trousseau had worn off； any…
way。 It was very much like any other shopping。 Fred
had his allowance and a few hundred he had won on the
game。 She would meet him to…morrow morning at the
Jersey ferry。 They could take one of the west…bound
Pennsylvania trains and goanywhere； some place
where the laws weren't too fussy。 Fred had not even
thought about the laws！ It would be all right with
her father； he knew Fred's family。
Now that they were engaged； she thought she would
like to drive a little more。 They were jerked about in the
cab for another hour through the deserted Park。 Miss
Beers； having removed her hat； reclined upon Fred's
shoulder。
The next morning they left Jersey City by the latest fast
train out。 They had some misadventures； crossed several
States before they found a justice obliging enough to marry
two persons whose names automatically instigated inquiry。
The bride's family were rather pleased with her originality；
besides； any one of the Ottenburg boys was clearly a better
match than young Brisbane。 With Otto Ottenburg； how…
ever； the affair went down hard； and to his wife； the once
proud Katarina Furst； such a disappointment was almost
unbearable。 Her sons had always been clay in her hands；
and now the GELIEBTER SOHN had escaped her。
Beers； the packer； gave his daughter a house in St。 Louis；
and Fred went into his father's business。 At the end of a
year； he was mutely appealing to his mother for sympathy。
At the end of two； he was drinking and in open rebellion。
He had learned to detest his wife。 Her wastefulness and
cruelty revolted him。 The ignorance and the fatuous con…
ceit which lay behind her grimacing mask of slang and
ridicule humiliated him so deeply that he became absolutely
reckless。 Her grace was only an uneasy wriggle； her auda…
city was the result of insolence and envy； and her wit was
restless spite。 As her personal mannerisms grew more and
more odious to him； he began to dull his perceptions with
champagne。 He had it for tea； he drank it with dinner； and
during the evening he took enough to insure that he would
be well insulated when he got home。 This behavior spread
alarm among his friends。 It was scandalous； and it did not
occur among brewers。 He was violating the NOBLESSE OBLIGE
of his guild。 His father and his father's partners looked
alarmed。
When Fred's mother went to him and with clasped hands
entreated an explanation； he told her that the only trouble
was that he couldn't hold enough wine to make life endur…
able； so he was going to get out from under and enlist in
the navy。 He didn't want anything but the shirt on his
back and clean salt air。 His mother could look out； he was
going to make a scandal。
Mrs。 Otto Ottenburg went to Kansas City to see Mr。
Beers； and had the satisfaction of telling him that he had
brought up his daughter like a savage； EINE UNGEBILDETE。 All
the Ottenburgs and all the Beers； and many of their friends；
were drawn into the quarrel。 It was to public opinion； how…
ever and not to his mother's activities； that Fred owed his
partial escape from bondage。 The cosmopolitan brewing
world of St。 Louis had conservative standards。 The Otten…
burgs' friends were not predisposed in favor of the plunging
Kansas City set； and they disliked young Fred's wife from
the day that she was brought among them。 They found her
ignorant and ill…bred and insufferably impertinent。 When
they became aware of how matters were going between her
and Fred； they omitted no opportunity to snub her。 Young
Fred had always been popular； and St。 Louis people took
up his cause with warmth。 Even the younger men； among
whom Mrs。 Fred tried to draft a following； at first avoided
and then ignored her。 Her defeat was so conspicuous； her
life became such a desert； that she at last consented to
accept the house in Santa Barbara which Mrs。 Otto Otten…
burg had long owned and cherished。 This villa； with its
luxuriant gardens； was the price of Fred's furlough。 His
mother was only too glad to offer it in his behalf。 As soon
as his wife was established in California； Fred was trans…
ferred from St。 Louis to Chicago。
A divorce was the one thing Edith would never； never；
give him。 She told him so； and she told his family so； and
her father stood behind her。 She would enter into no
arrangement that might eventually lead to divorce。 She
had insulted her husband before guests and servants； had
scratched his face； thrown hand…mirrors and hairbrushes
and nail…scissors at him often enough； but she knew that
Fred was hardly the fellow who would go into court and
offer that sort of evidence。 In her behavior with other men
she was discreet。
After Fred went to Chicago； his mother visited him often；
and dropped a word to her old friends there； who were
already kindly disposed toward the young man。 They
gossiped as little as was compatible with the interest they
felt； undertook to make life agreeable for Fred； and told his
story only where they felt it would do good： to girls who
seemed to find the young brewer attractive。 So far； he had
behaved well； and had kept out of entanglements。
Since he was transferred to Chicago； Fred had been
abroad several times； and had fallen more and more into
the way of going about among young artists；people with
whom personal relations were incidental。 With women； and
even girls； who had careers to follow； a young man might
have pleasant friendships without being regarded as a pro…
spective suitor or lover。 Among artists his position was not
irregular； because with them his marriageableness was not
an issue。 His tastes； his enthusiasm； and his agreeable
personality made him welcome。
With Thea Kronborg he had allowed himself more lib…
erty than he usually did in his friendships or gallantries
with young artists； because she se