'Dot,' he said, and lifted her on to his knee and held her hands tenderly in his own, 'you must obey me in this, can't you see you must, my darling? Perhaps I have been harsh or unkind about it. Yesterday I _told_ you to obey me, now I _ask_ you, my darling, my little girl, Dot, little, little wife. Say you will.' But she only stirred restlessly. He put his face down to hers. 'Darling, think of our happiness, how can we go on living if you persist in breaking up everything like this. There _must_ be a head, Dot, in everything, there must be obedience. What would a ship be without a captain, or soldiers without their chief, an office with no one in authority? And the husband _must_ be the head of the wife. Darling, say you will obey me in this.' But Dot could not. All her pleading had gone for nothing, why should she listen to Larrie's? She moved his arms away and stood up, her eyes dry and bright again. 'You have refused me the only thing I have ever asked specially since we were married, Larrie,' she said. 'You will stay?' he said. 'You profess to love me, and then you act like a tyrant to me. Why should you always have _your_ way in things?' There was a red spot on her cheek. 'You will obey me, Dot?' She walked restlessly up and down the room. She moved some ornaments on the mantelpiece and put the curtains straight with trembling fingers. She remembered she ought to be dressing even now. In two hours the concert would begin, and if she gave in her opportunity would be gone for ever, and just because Larrie was obstinate and stupid! Baby's ivory rattle, still wet from his mouth, lay on the sofa. She picked it up and put it in her work-basket. Then she altered the position of two photographs on the mantelpiece. She moved one of Larrie's silver cups--in it there was a green programme crumpled up into a ball. 'Dot, you will obey me?' 'No, I will _not_,' she said passionately. 'I am tired of being told to do things. I want a little liberty as well as you. I will _not_ spoil my future just because you want to be a petty czar.' She crossed to the door. A flame sprang up in Larrie's eyes. 'You will be sorry to the end of your life if you go,' he said. 'No, I shall be glad,' said Dot. Peggie came in to know if they wanted hot water, or if the master would have another egg. She was really too anxious to keep away. 'I've got a nice brown one, laid to-day, sir,' she said persuasively. He shook his head impatiently. The woman looked over to Dot, standing with the door handle in her hand, 'Shall I fetch the baby for you?' she asked. 'No,' said Dot sharply. So she went out to the kitchen again, and looked grave as she lifted baby from his high chair, where he was perfectly happy with a saucepan lid and a tin spoon. '_That_ obstreperous,' she said, and sighed. Then she added, 'poor man,' under her breath. Someway she generally sided with Larrie at such times, though she was devotedly fond of Dot.