22 TWO DIANAS IN ALASKA 



" My husband says a woman should be content to 

 remain within what he calls her limitations," she 

 sighed. 



" Sounds fairly sensible," I said. 



" But what if she has none?" the absurd creature 

 said grandiloquently. " I am not a woman with 

 limitations. I can soar and soar." 



" Where to?" I asked vaguely. 



" With one beloved, be he prince or pauper, any- 

 where. On and on, into infinite space." 



" You couldn't soar far with a pauper," I quibbled; 

 " ballooning is exceedingly expensive, and even in 

 space you will find some one who needs tipping." 



" If only my husband understood me ! What a lot 

 of poor suffering women are misunderstood by their 

 husbands." 



" And understood by other people's," I added. 

 " One cannot help noticing it." 



Evidently in Ralph Madam thought she saw the 

 embodiment of all her idealistic dreams. She was of 

 a very coming-on disposition, and did not let the 

 grass grow beneath her feet. The climax was reached 

 one night at a little dance, and Master Ralph was 

 very nearly caught out. 



The Leader and myself were sitting on the veran- 

 dah, when we heard voices below us in the garden, 

 and without any previous intention of eavesdropping 

 heard enough to make us long to hear every word. 

 Yes, wasn't it mean of us? But there it is. 



" 'Tis on such nights," Madam Misunderstood 

 murmured in soft caressing tones, " that our hearts 



