she is not
always as tractable as she might be. I had to teach her obedience and
respect, and eventually I succeeded. I conquered her--as I
hoped--completely. However, six months ago she took advantage of a stage
fire to give me the slip, and till recently I believed that she was
dead. Then a friend of mine--Captain Silvester--met her out here in
India a few weeks back at a place called Shamkura, and recognized her.
Her dancing qualities are superb. I think she displayed them a little
rashly if she really wished to remain hidden. He sent me the news, and I
have come myself to claim her--and take her back."

"You can't take me back!" It was Puck's voice, but not as Merryon had
ever heard it before. She flashed round like a hunted creature at bay,
her eyes blazing a wild defiance into the mocking eyes opposite. "You
can't take me back!" she repeated, with quivering insistence. "Our
marriage was--no marriage! It was a sham--a sham! But even if--even
if--it had been--a true marriage--you would have to--set me--free--now."

"And why?" said Vulcan, with his evil smile.

She was white to the lips, but she faced him unflinching. "There is--a
reason," she said.

"In--deed!" He uttered a scoffing laugh of deadly insult. "The same
reason, I presume, as that for which you married me?"

She flinched at that--flinched as if he had struck her across the face.
"Oh, you brute!" she said, and shuddered back against Merryon's
supporting arm. "You wicked brute!"

It was then that Merryon wrenched himself free from that paralysing
constriction that bound him, and abruptly intervened.

"Puck," he said, "go! Leave us! I will deal with this matter in my own
way."

She made no move to obey. Her face was hidden in her hands. But she was
sobbing no longer, only sickly shuddering from head to foot.

He took her by the shoulder. "Go, child, go!" he urged.

But she shook her head. "It's no good," she said. "He has got--the
whip-hand."

The utter despair of her tone pierced straight to his soul. She stood as
one bent beneath a crushing burden, and he knew that her face was
burning behind the sheltering hands.

He still held her with a certain stubbornness of possession, though she
made no further attempt to cling to him.

"What do you mean by that?" he said, bending to her. "Tell me what you
mean! Don't be afraid to tell me!"

She shook her head again. "I am bound," she said, dully, "bound hand and
foot."

"You mean that you reall