be looking _through_ him and into herself, if you know
what I mean. A slow flush spread from the base of her throat, that thin,
almost transparent throat.

"All I have to know," she said softly. "I love him."

She looked out the window. "I'm going up into _Konigstein Mountain_, to
a small sanitarium for my health shortly; the doctor has told me I must
go away, and Tod has suggested this place. There Tod and I shall be
married."

I knew then how it felt to be on the receiving end of a monkey-punch.
That she had come to this decision because of my objections, I had not
the slightest doubt. She was going to marry someone about whom she knew
absolutely nothing. She was much more ill than she knew. Hunter was
undoubtedly after her money; she was considerably well-off. Obviously
she was once more being influenced in the wrong direction.

"I won't let you!" I warned. "Give it some more time, if for nothing
else, then for old times' sake."

"How about me, Morris?" Tod interrupted. "You haven't asked me my
feelings on the subject. I happen to love Maria dearly. Have I no say
just because you're a childhood friend of hers?"

"Childhood friend! I was her whole family for years before she ever
heard of you! I'll see you in hell before I let her marry you!" I
shouted. Looking back, I'm sure that had he said anything else, I would
have killed him, if Ria hadn't come between us.

"That's enough, Bill Morris! I've heard all I want to from you. I'm
twenty-three, and if I choose to marry Tod, I'll do so and there's
nothing you can do about it. Now, please go."

"Okay, Ria," I said, "if that's the way you want it. But I'm not
through. If you won't protect yourself, I'll do it for you. I'd like to
know more about the mysterious Mr. Tod Hunter, American, and I do wish,
for your own sake, you'd do the same. I wouldn't care if you married
King Tut, so long as you knew all about him. People just don't marry
strangers; not if they're smart. For God's sake, ask him about himself!"

"All right, Bill," she replied, smiling patiently. "I'll ask him. Now,
do stop being childish."

"Okay, darling," I said sheepishly. "But do me one more favor. Don't
marry him until I get back. Only a little while; give me a week. Just
wait a little longer."

As I closed the door, I could still feel his smile, mocking--yet a
little sad.

But Maria didn't wait. I was gone a week. I had walked my legs off
trying to track down the elusive Mister Hunter and