"
"No doubt. But you made a scandal. You have been seen with--women,
in a good many places where we are known."
"Bah! There's nothing to it."
Alaire went on in a lifeless tone that covered the seething
emotions within her. "I never inquire into your actions at San
Antonio or other large cities, although of course I have ears and
I can't help hearing about them; but these border towns are home
to us, and people know me. I won't be humiliated more than I am;
public pity is--hard enough to bear. I've about reached the
breaking-point."
"Indeed?" Austin leaned forward, his eyes inflamed. His tone was
raised, heedless of possible eavesdroppers. "Then why don't you
end it? Why don't you divorce me? God knows I never see anything
of you. You have your part of the house and I have mine; all we
share in common is meal-hours, and--and a mail address. You're
about as much my wife as Dolores is."
Alaire turned upon him eyes dark with misery. "You know why I
don't divorce you. No, Ed, we're going to live out our agreement,
and these Brownsville episodes are going to cease." Her lips
whitened. "So are your visits to the pumping-station."
"What do you mean by that?"
"You transferred Panfilo because he was growing jealous of you and
Rosa.
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