Jane went to fittings uncomplainingly, with Jerry in command, and in due time the gowns came home. He had, in the meantime, bought her hats, furs, and all the niceties of a woman's wardrobe. She protested at his lavishness, and submitted to his excellent taste. But when the final purchase was delivered, Jane said to him: "Jerry, I thoroughly appreciate these lovely things you have given me, and I promise you to give my appearance the most careful attention. But I wish, please, that you would agree to give me a monthly allowance for my needs and desires." "Oh, you needn't worry about money, Jane. You'll always get it when I have any. When I'm broke, we'll neither of us have any," he laughed. "But I want to know just what I can depend on. Of course, that would be contingent upon what we have." "What's the difference whether I give it to you every month or not?" "It is the difference between my being a self-respecting partner, or a dependant." "Rubbish! Sounds like woman's rights. For heaven's sake, don't be a woman's righter, Jane." "You agree to an allowance, then?" "I don't see why I should. I must say, I think I have been pretty liberal so far----" "You miss my point. I admit your liberality, and appreciate it, but slaves and servants are dependent upon liberality. It does something to your mind, you must see that." "I'm hanged if I do." "You must take my word for it, then, that no marriage can be built on such a basis." "But I don't agree with you." "Very well, then, I must take up my work in the studios again." "What?" "I must be independent, I must know where I stand." "You mean to say that you would go about cleaning up studios? My wife cleaning up studios, to pander to this whim?" angrily. "It isn't a whim, it's a principle. No kind of work can hurt my self-respect, but I want to be regarded as a partner, Jerry. If it is what you used to pay me, by the week, for keeping the studio clean, and your clothes mended, that is enough. But I must know how much it is, and when I get it." "This is degrading, that's what it is! You don't trust me, that's the long and short of it." "Oh, yes, I trust you more than you do me, apparently. If I had the money, and had married you, I should give you a check book on our joint account." "That's nonsense, Jane. It's this modern stuff you've picked up in books. I loathe the new woman with her platforms and her freedoms. Don't begin to feed me up with that stuff." "You think it over calmly, Mr. Paxton, and you'll see it is only fair." It was the night of the Chatfields' party, so she left him and went to dress. She took more pains with herself than she had ever taken before. She tried to do her hair as Jinny Chatfield did hers, because she had heard Jerry admire it. She put on the soft, beautiful underthings with unexpected pleasure in their daintiness.