ANGEL PAVEMENT

some of his own stock. "Well, my answer to that ques-
tion of yours was, 1 am and I'm not.' And how do you
puzzle that out?" he asked, with the air of a man who
had produced a rare riddle. "Bit of a facer, that, eh?"

"Oh, I don't know. I'd say-off-hand-that you say
you are married because you're still legally married and
have a wife living, but at the same time you say you're
not married because you're not living the life of a
married man. In fact, you're separated from your wife,
How's that, Mr. Benenden?"

The other's face fell at being robbed so quickly of the
chance of explaining himself. "That was a bit of smart
thinking on your part, Mr. Smeeth," he said, brightening
up. 'There aren't many men about here who could
have got on to it like that. And you're right. I've been
separated for nearly ten years. She goes her way, and I
go mine. We were only married three years, and that
was quite enough for me, a regular cat-and-dog life that
was. If she wanted to go out, I wanted to stay in, and
if she wanted to stay in, I wanted to go out. Well, that's
all right, isn't it? If she wants to go out, let her go out.
If she wants to stay in, let her stay in. What's the matter
with that? Ar, but that's a man's point of view. This is
where the unfairness of the sex comes in. I was ready
to let her go out or stay in, just as she pleased. But what
about her? Had she the same fair-minded attitude, the
same broad principles?" Mr. Benenden here removed
his pipe to make room for a short bitter laugh. "When
she wanted to go out, I'd to go out too, and when she
wanted to stay in, I'd to stay in as well. That was her
idear. Dog in the manger, she was, all the time, and
specially on Saturdays and Sundays, just when you
wanted a bit of give and take. We didn't get on. Why