r. I'm at
the end of my resources."

Olga drew herself together with a supreme effort, mustering all her
strength. "It is the end of everything," she said. "I can never marry
you now. I never want to see you again."

He met her look implacably, with eyes that seemed to beat down her own.
"I have told you that I won't submit to that," he said.

She caught her breath with a convulsive movement of protest. Perhaps
never before had she so clearly realized the ruthlessness of the man and
his strength.

"I can't help it," she said. "I can never marry you. Even if--if we had
been married, I could not have stayed with you--after this."

She saw his mouth harden to cruelty at her words, and instinctively she
drew back from him; but in the same instant his hands closed upon her
wrists and she was a captive.

"Doesn't it occur to you," he said, "that you are bound to me in
honour--unless I set you free?"

He spoke with the utmost calmness, but her heart misgave her. She saw
herself at his mercy, an impotent prisoner striving against him, vainly
beating out her will against the iron of his. In that moment she
realized fully that not by strength could she prevail, and desperately
she began to plead.

"But you will set me free, Max! You wouldn't--you couldn't--hold me
against my will!"

"Couldn't I?" said Max, and grimly smiled. "There is nothing whatever
that I couldn't do with you, Olga,--with--or without--your will."

She shivered sharply and uncontrollably, not attempting to contradict
him.

"And that being so," he said, "it is not my intention to set you free.
There is no earthly reason why you should not marry me, and therefore I
hold you to your engagement. That is quite understood, is it?"

His hold tightened upon her. She saw that he meant every word, and her
heart died within her. Her strength was running out swiftly, swiftly.
Very soon it would be utterly gone. She cast a desperate glance upwards,
and made one last supreme effort. "But, Max," she pleaded, "I thought
you loved me."

His face was set in iron lines, but she thought it softened ever so
slightly at her words. Had she pierced the one vulnerable point in his
armour at last? She wondered, scarcely daring to hope.

"Well?" he said.

Only the one word; but somehow, inexplicably, her heart cried shame upon
her, as though she had put a good weapon to an unworthy use. She stood
before him, trying vainly to drive it home. But she could not. Further