had not previously sounded
his depths, she might have doubted his meaning, deceived by the lazy
drawl in his soft voice, the glimmer of grim humor in his eyes. But
she did know him; she comprehended fully the slumbering tiger within,
the lurking spirit of vindictiveness of his real nature, and that
knowledge overcame her, left her weak and trembling like a frightened
child. For an instant she could not articulate, staring at him with
white face and horrified eyes.

"You--you mean that?" and for the first time she clasped his loose coat
between her clutching fingers.

"It is hardly a subject to be deliberately selected for jest," he
replied coolly, "but if you prefer you might wait and see."

She stepped back from him, leaning heavily against the frame of the
door, her face again hidden behind uplifted hands. The man did not
move, his face emotionless, his lips tightly set. He was watching her
with the intentness of a hawk, absolutely certain now of his victim.
Suddenly she looked up, her eyes picturing the courage of desperation.
One glance into his face and the woman stood transformed, at bay, the
fierce spirit of battle flaming into her face.

"Have it so, then," she exclaimed sharply. "I pledge myself to do
everything possible to prevent his remaining here." She drew herself
up, her eyes darkening from sudden, uncontrollable anger. "Oh, how I
despise you, you coward, you cur! I know you, what you are capable of,
and I do this to preserve the life of a friend; but my detestation of
you is beyond expression in words. My one and greatest shame is that I
ever trusted you; that I once believed you to be a man. Good God! how
could I ever have been so blind!"

She opened the door with her hand extended behind her, and backed
slowly away, facing him where he stood motionless, smiling still as
though her sudden outburst of passion merely served to feed his conceit.

"Then I may trust you in this?"

Her eyes shone fairly black with the depth of scorn glowing in them.

"Have--have you ever known me to lie?" she asked, her voice faltering
from reaction.

The door closed.

CHAPTER X

A NEW ALLIANCE

Her eyes blinded by a strange mist of tears, Beth Norvell clung to the
latch of the closed door, fearful lest the man within might decide to
follow, endeavoring to gaze about, while gaining control over her
sorely shattered nerves. Strong as she had appeared when nerved by
indignation and despair, tha