“You act more like a couple of young pigeons than you do like old married folks,” Mr. Mapleton said, as he saw Max caress Irene.
“I love my wife as well as I did the day I married her,” Max said, giving her another caress.
“Well, let’s go down and have a game of billiards,” said Mapleton.
“Thank you,” said Max, “but I will leave that to my wife to say whether I go or not.”
“Go, Max,” she said, “but do not stay long.”
“Oh, thunder,” said Mapleton, “you do not keep yourself tied to your wife’s apron string, do you?”
“I try to please my darling in every way,” said Max, stooping down and kissing her.
Mapleton uttered an oath as he started out of the door, and Rene whispered to Max as he kissed her the second time that “he must not mind papa, as he had 187 grown a little rough by coming in contact with mining people.”
Rene spent the entire evening alone, as Max did not return until a late hour, and though she felt very lonely, it was all made right when Max told her that he stayed away through politeness to her father, and that he really did not enjoy himself one bit staying away from her. “But,” he added, “you know we must humor him a little.”
“Papa,” Irene said, the next day, “Max and I have decided to take the Venetian cottage, and stay there a year at least. You are gone so much that it is quite useless to try to make a home for you.”