of
hers hissed like a whole nestful of serpents. And all the time, just
because--in spite of his angry denials--she seemed slipping farther and
farther from him--he desired her as he had never desired her. Not
beautifully, as of old--but desperately, bitterly, blindly!

He sprang up suddenly, and took a few turns about the room. He went and
stood at the window, gazing out into the twilight. The fire reflected in
the window-panes seemed flickering among the dark leaves of the
magnolia.

Joycie came in with the tea things. He sat sullenly nursing one leg upon
the other while Sophy made tea. He wouldn't have any.

They could hear Charlotte's voice here and there about the house. The
Judge rode past the window on Silvernose. But no one interrupted them.
Only Joycie came in after a little, to clear away the tea things. She
went out with the tray, Dhu following her, and they were alone, once
more. Sophy rose as Joycie went out, and herself lighted the lamp on her
writing-table.

"Why didn't you ask me to do that?" he said irritably.

"I didn't think," she answered.

Now in the lamplight he could see how very white and tired she looked.
His heart softened. He went over impulsively and stood close to her.

"Sophy," he said, "what is it you really want?"

Her answer gushed quick and hot like heart's blood:

"My freedom, Morris!... My freedom ... my freedom!" It was like the
breaking of the waters. It poured in a cataract of passionate,
breathless words. "Oh, be kind ... be generous, let me go, without
haggling ... without bitterness.... We owe it to the past to part as
friends. We should be big in this big thing ... get above littleness of
every sort. Just because we have made a heart-rending mistake ... why
should we be like enemies?... Give me this one memory of you ... clear,
great. Something I can remember all beautiful. You owe it to our love,
Morris. You owe it to that wonderful dream we dreamt together...."

"Stop ... stop!..." he gasped. "It's like death.... It's worse than
death...."

"Oh, my dear!..." she said. "I know.... It's horrible! To me, too, it's
horrible.... But let me go ... ah, let me go, and I'll love you with a
new love!... It will last ... it will bless you all your life.... Let me
go, dear, let me go!..."

He stood shaking. His breath came quick and hard. He was dreadfully near
to tears.

"I can't," he got out at last.

"Yes. Yes. You can ... you will...."

"No," he stuttered, "no ..