"Then what of your population?" asked the Austrian, reverting to his previous line of attack. "It declines as divorce rises in your country." Muriel rose abruptly. "I think I shall take a little walk," she said. Stainton half-rose. Von Klausen sprang to his feet. "Permit me----" began the Captain. "No, no," said Muriel; "please sit still, both of you." "But, my dear----" said Stainton. "I don't want to interrupt your talk," the girl said. "Finish that and then join me, Jim." "In ten minutes, then," said Stainton. The men resumed their chairs. They looked after her strong young body as, the wind blowing her skirt about her, she walked away. "At all events," said Stainton heartily, "there goes the best American wife." Von Klausen had grown accustomed to the open domesticity of Americans. He did not smile. "She is a charming lady," he agreed. He looked out to sea. "And a beautiful." After a moment he added: "Do you object, sir, if I say that it is delightful, the manner in which the black hair gathers over her forehead and that in which she carries her gracious head?" "Object, Captain? I say you're quite right. I'm a lucky man. Have you ever seen more lovely eyes?" Von Klausen was still looking out to sea. "In all the world I have seen but one pair that was their equal," he answered. Stainton pulled at his cigar. "You were saying,"--he returned to their previous subject--"that the American birth-rate declined as divorce grew. Do you think the increase of the one causes the decrease of the other?" "I admit that the rate falls in times of commercial depression." "Of course: divorce and birth are both expensive. If you would look into the matter a little closer, Captain, I think you would find that the growth of child labour and the cost of living have about as much to do with the fall in the birth-rate as anything else. Some of our divorces are granted to foreigners that come to America because they can't get easy divorces in their native lands. Most are given for desertion, which generally means that they are arranged by mutual consent. Nearly as many result from charges of 'cruelty,' which is as often as not the man's habit of whistling in the house when his wife has a headache--'constructive cruelty' we call it, although 'concocted cruelty' would be a better term. Adultery comes only next, I am told, and then neglect to provide, and drunkenness. The other causes are all lower in the list. So you see that when our divorces are not really the result of a quiet agreement between the husband and wife--and every judge that signs a decree knows in his heart that nine-tenths are that--they are the result of conduct which, for anybody who does not consider marriage a sacrament, abundantly justifies the action." The talk shifted to Wall Street and continued for half an hour.