ight the swine now."

George experienced a fresh ill-feeling toward the man, who impressed him
as possessing something of the attributes of such animals. He glanced at
Sylvia's hands.

"You're not going to marry him."

She smiled at him pityingly, but her colour was fuller. He wondered why
she should remain at all when it would be so easy to slip through the
doorway to the protection of Blodgett and the others. Of course to hurt
him again.

"I don't believe you love him. I'm sure you don't. You shan't throw
yourself away."

Her foot tapped the rug. He watched her try to make her smile amused.
Her failure, he told himself, offered proof that he was right.

"One can no longer even be angry with you," she said. "Who gave you a
voice in my destiny?"

"You," he answered, quickly, "and I don't surrender my rights. If I can
help it you're not going to throw away your youth. Why did you tell me
first of all you were going to be married?"

She braced herself against the table, staring at him. In her eyes he
caught a fleeting expression of fright. He believed she was held at last
by a curiosity more absorbing than her temper.

"What do you mean?"

Old Planter's bass tones throbbed to them.

"Nothing can keep us out of the war now."

The words came to George as from a great distance, carrying no
tremendous message. In the whole world there existed for him at that
moment nothing half so important as the lively beauty of this woman
whose intolerance he had just vanquished.

"Your youth belongs to youth," he hurried on, knowing she wouldn't
answer his question. "I've told you this before. I won't see you turn
your back on life. Fair warning! I'll fight any way I can to prevent
it."

She straightened, showing him her hands.

"You're very brave. You fight by attacking a woman, by trying behind his
back to injure a very dear man. And you've no excuse whatever for
fighting, as you call it."

"Yes, I have," he said, quickly, "and you know perfectly well that I'm
justified in attacking any man you threaten to marry."

"You're mad, or laughable," she said. "Why have you? Why?"

"Because long ago I told you I loved you. Whether it was really so then,
or whether it is now, makes no difference. You said I shouldn't forget."

He stepped closer to her.

"You said other things that gave me, through pride if nothing else, a
pretty big share in your life. You may as well understand that."

Her anger quite controlled her