"What?" he said, hoarsely, resolutely keeping his eyes from looking into
hers.

"Hendrik, do you really love me?"

"My promise!" he whispered, tensely, and looked at her pleadingly.
"Don't, dear!"

She understood him perfectly; so she smiled. It was her iron will
against his. He must do what he did not wish to do, and do it because
she wished it! She did not wish to kiss him; but she wished,
hypnotist-like, to compel him to kiss her. With her eyes she beckoned
him to come closer.

Knowing that this would clinch it he stared back at her with a pitiful
appeal in his troubled eyes, and shook his head weakly, as though his
soul, thinking of his honor, was saying: "No, no! Please don't!"

Her face moved toward him a little and stopped. Something within her was
stamping its foot, saying: "Yes! Yes!"--like a peevish child.

H. R., continuing to follow the subtle strategy of the reversed
position, stared fascinatedly at her lips. Then slowly, like a man in a
trance, his face moved toward hers. On the very brink he paused and
said, brokenly: "No! Oh, my darling! No! No!"

She said nothing, in order not to commit herself; but she smiled at him,
while her eyes, luminous and blue, pounded away on his resolve,
battering it to pieces. Nearer his face came--nearer--until his lips
reached hers.

His honor had been wrecked on the coral reef; but all she knew, and all
she cared to know, was that she had won! She was so certain of it and
showed it so plainly that he knew he had better make it doubly sure; so
he pressed his cheek against hers, that she might not see his face while
he murmured:

"Now you can't cast me off!"

It was an entreaty, with the nature of which she was familiar from her
literary studies; and her answer, eminently feminine, was:

"Never, dearest!"

He started to his feet abruptly.

"Don't follow me!" he said, harshly, and walked away very quickly.

When she rejoined the crush in the drawing-room she learned that H. R.
had excused himself on the plea of urgent business and had gone.

"What is he going to do?" they asked her, eagerly.

They were sure it was something picturesque, but she saw in their
excited wonderment the appraisal of her victory. The displeasure and
suspicion in Mrs. Vandergilt's eyes gave her intense joy.

She was willing to pay for her victory. He loved her! She could make him
do whatever she wished. It did not matter whether she loved him or not.
There was now no reason, t