"
"Where is he?"
"Right here in New York."
"Does he mean to stand by you?"
"Of course he does."
"Will he marry you, Laura?"
"Yes, he will--the minute I'm free from my beast of a husband!"
"And your husband will keep his suit quiet, you said, if you agree not to
fight him."
"Yes."
Deborah rose abruptly.
"Then will you stay right here to-night, and leave this matter to me?" she
asked.
"What do _you_ mean to do?"
"See your husband."
"What for? When?"
"To-night, if I can. I want to be sure."
Laura looked for the moment nonplussed.
"And what of my wishes?" she inquired.
"_Your_ wishes," said Deborah steadily. "You want a divorce, don't you--so
do I. And you want it quiet--and so do I. I want it so hard that I want to
make sure." Deborah's tone was kinder now, and she came over close to her
sister. "Look here, Laura, if I've been hard, forgive me--please--and let
me help. I'm not so narrow as you think. I've been through a good deal of
this before--downtown, I mean, with girls in my school. They come to me, we
have long talks. Maybe I _am_ a nun--as you say--but I'm one with a
confessional. Not for sins," she added, as Laura looked up angrily. "Sins
don't interest me very much. But troubles do. And heaven knows that
marriage is one," she said with a curious bitterness. "And when it has
failed and there's no love left--as in your case--I'm for divorce. Only--"
her wide sensitive lips quivered just a little, "I'm sorry it had to come
like this.
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