Today Author:Richard Parker Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III SOMETHING LESS THAN PARADISE WHEN Fred Wagner returned to the drawing-room he found it deserted, save for the butler, who had been sent to get ... more »Mrs. Garland's cloak and gloves, for the party was breaking up. Fred took a cigarette from his case and lighted it. He had consumed a great quantity of them that day, having smoked them furiously one after another, under circumstances that would have driven many men to strong drink for a solace. "Will you turn down the lights?" he said to the butler. As the man obeyed Fred was sensible of a distinct relief. The glare and noise of the dining- room had cruelly outraged his over-wrought nerves. "Anything else, sir!" the butler asked. "Not now," said Fred, with a curious look at the servant. He knew that he should not be giving orders to the fellow much longer. 'Thank you, sir!" the man said, in the fashion that Lily Wagner could never hear without a thrill of pleasure. To one who is not born to luxury, the obsequiousness of Servants often affords a never-ending source of delight. Fred sat down as if in troubled thought. He did not relish the task that lay before him—the duty of telling his wife and his parents the unpleasant news that he had brought them. A laugh disturbed his musings, as he sat there inertly with his head bent forward upon his hands. "Where is Mr. Wagner?" someone asked. It was Mrs. Garland. "Here he is—lonesome as a Prohibitionist on New Year's Eve," she cried, as she caught sight of her disconsolate host. Lily followed close upon her friend's footsteps, and there was a querulous note in her voice that rasped upon her husband's ears as she spoke to him. "Fred! why have you deserted us?" she demanded sharply. "I'm tired, dear," he said, "and I—I just came here to rest til...« less