bellious, fiercely
mocking.

The passion ebbed gradually from his own face. As he still held her, and
she still continued to keep her full lips turned inward, he broke into a
helpless, unwilling laugh. "Of all the little brutes...." he muttered
unsteadily. At last he let her go. She backed away from him, then her
lips curled free again, redder for their imprisonment. She smiled with
impish delight at the success of her simple device.

"And yet women say they've been kissed against their wills!" she gurgled
gleefully. "We _are_ liars ... we women, Morry, dear!"

Something in her tone gave him a queer hope. He went up to her again. He
said in a voice that trembled a little:

"Have _you_ lied to _me_, Linda?... Was it a lie when you told me that
beast had kissed you?... Had kissed your mouth?"

Belinda certainly had inspirations. She looked at him with her most
melting yet most wayward look. Her dimples flickered.

"Well ... I guess he didn't enjoy the sort of kisses he _did_ get," she
murmured.

"Linda...." whispered Loring. "Linda...."

The sudden revulsion of mood made him dizzy.

"Oh ... Linda," he repeated, and, putting out his arms, drew her to him
again.

But she was quite serious now. Frowning a little, and swayed back
stiffly in his grasp, she said:

"See here, Morry--you've called me some hard names. But I'll let that
pass. I can understand that. What I can't understand, and what I won't
let pass is your trying to keep me and your wife at the same time. I
won't lie any more---- Yes.... I _did_ lie just now. It did me good all
over, too!" And she showed her white teeth in a rather fierce little
smile. "But I won't lie any more. I _don't_ love Lewis Cuthbridge-- I
rather loathe him ... but as sure as I live ... as we both live ...
unless you break free ... unless you get that divorce, or let her
divorce ... I'll marry Lewis within two months. Mind you...." she added,
as she felt his arms tighten convulsively, "I'm not lying.... I mean
it."

Loring's face looked drawn and curiously hunted.

As she spoke, his eyes followed the movements of her full, soft lips.
They curled into such lovely curves when she talked--now hiding her
little fine, white lower teeth, now revealing them.

"And if I say I'll do it ... then ... will you kiss me?" he whispered.

A wild thrill sang through Belinda. Her arms, which had been hanging at
her sides, whipped round him. She strained him to her.

"If you'll _swear_ it