Elizabeth, to be less conscious of the eyes glaring at her, picked up her sewing, which had been tossed on the lounge an hour ago, and began to ply her needle. John broke out anew, really losing control of himself this time. "It's the most outrageous thing I ever heard of--a woman humiliating her husband by refusing to sign papers when he has brought the man right into the house to fix them up! A pretty reputation I'll get out of it! It's sickening, disgusting. What do you expect me to do? Tell me that. If I want to buy a load of hay or a boar pig, am I to say to a man, 'Wait till I ask my wife if I can?'" He stood leering at her, hot with passion, determined to make her speak. The vulgarity of his discussion nauseated her, but since she must discuss, she was resolved to do it quietly and on decent ground as far as she was concerned. Without fear she replied slowly: "You know perfectly well what I have asked of you, John. You won't gain anything by blustering. I mean to be consulted on all important matters like loans, deeds, and mortgages, exactly as you'd consult with a man, and I intend to be consulted _before_ the thing is done, and not have you take advantage of me in the presence of strangers. You needn't shuffle matters. You understand what I mean, and you can't fool me. Be sensible and do the right thing by me, and give me the chance to do the right thing by you." "I've done the right thing by you already, and I'll go about my own affairs as a man should, and You'll attend to your own affairs as a woman should if you live with me, and leave me free to act like a man. Do you understand that?" he demanded. "I'm sorry, John," she said, falling back to the needle, which she had let rest again for a moment. There was a little choke in her voice, but she was firm. "What do you mean by that?" he asked, suspicious that she was not giving up as he intended that she should do. "I mean just what I said a minute ago: I will let you mortgage your half of this farm after it is divided, but I will not sign any such papers on the other half. I will not be taken advantage of before strangers; I will let them talk first, and I will take care of my house as I see fit. Also, I will not speak when you manage Jack, and you will not interfere when I have to do it--that is, we will not interfere with each other _before the child_." John Hunter's face turned scarlet, his cheeks stung as if he had been slapped; she was not giving in at all! He stood before her incensed beyond words for a moment, breathing hard and almost bursting with what he considered the insult of it; then the blood which had mounted to his head receded and left him deadly white. "I don't exactly understand you," he said in level tones, "but you shall understand me. I will never be made a fool of by you again; if you're going to run things, say it out, and I'll let you have it and run it alone."