“But where has it led me at length? I am a Major-General of the Continentals, and living like a prince. Been married two years and five thousand pounds in debt. Oh, that I could end these pangs of pride! Yes, I shall end them. I shall again see Roderick Barclugh. I shall write again to General Washington and demand my assignment to West Point,” concluded Arnold as he arose and went to his wife’s chamber. He tried to enter but the door was fastened. An angry voice from within asked: “Who’s that?” “Margaret, my dear, may I speak to you?” meekly replied Arnold. “I shall not have any explanation, General Arnold,” savagely replied his wife; but she opened the door and imperiously walked to the other side of the room, where she stood with her back to him. “My dear,” began Arnold, “I find that,----” “Yes, you’ll find that I and my child will leave this house and you will find----” interjected Mrs. Arnold. “If you will let me explain?” continued Arnold. “I sha’n’t allow you to explain to me any more. You have done nothing but explain ever since you met me. “What shall become of me and my child, if things do not improve?” continued Mrs. Arnold as she began sobbing. “I know that you will be ordered off to active service and then you will be killed and what shall become of me? There will be nothing left for me to survive upon under this government.” “Never mind, my dear, I shall try and get West Point. Then our fortunes will soon change. We will not have all of the expenses of living in the city; we can then pay off our debts. Besides I have some commercial ventures that I expect to bring in some returns very soon. I know how you must feel when you see how much money the FitzMaurices and the Millings and the Redmans have and we do not have anything but my meagre pay to live upon. “But remember, my dearest, I shall do all in my power to make you happy,--even to giving up my life. Oh! Margaret, bear up a little longer and I shall be able to gratify every desire that you may have. You know how much I love you, and how happy we have been with our boy!” Quickly turning toward her husband, the beautiful and young Mrs. Arnold put her face poutingly up to his to be kissed, as she said: “Benedict, I know that you love me, and I am afraid that you love me more than I deserve.” The Arnold household had to contend with two conditions that are sure to disrupt the tranquility of a home. One was the imperious, unreasoning ambition of the wife to shine socially, and the other was the recognition, by the husband, that his own social position was not equal to the position that his wife was entitled to hold by reason of education, family and environment. Arnold had won fame in a few years on account of his brilliant and daring military exploits, but his reckless and obstinate nature had brought him into disrepute. He lacked finesse and diplomacy. His home and social surroundings demanded wisdom that he did not possess.