"My husband's violence. He was so very violent yesterday and this morning; I am afraid of his doing me an injury—I am afraid because of my child," and Margaret shivered.
"What made him violent?"
"He cannot bear my going out. He never allows me to go out, I am a prisoner here!"
He remembered having seen her out, and in his heart believed she was deliberately telling him a lie.
"What do you want to go out for?" he asked, roughly. "What do you mean by 'going out'?"
"I want to see my sister oftener."
Another lie he thought. "Why don't you brave him and go?" he said, trying her; "you might leave him altogether."
"Because I am told that if I leave he can keep my child!" said Margaret, passionately.
"Of course he can."
"It seems so hard," she said.