gue in the darkness, trying to draw him
with her.

"I shall not stay, I promise you."

His voice was cold and indifferent. For all that she drew him to her,
by main force, and pressed her mouth to his, her perfumed arms about
his stubborn neck.

"If you do love me, Arthur, make me know that you do! Show me it is
myself that you care for, show me, show me! You can if you want to."

After a brief struggle she felt his muscles relax.

"Ah ... _Tu m'aimes encore! Tu m'aimes encore!_"

"Sh-sh--let me go, Therese ..."

"No, no ..."

A moment later, in the gloom, Therese's wide chiffon sleeve caught on
something.

"Be careful--what is that?"

The little table toppled over with a crash. At almost the same
instant, it seemed, the door to the dining-room was flung open and
dazzling light poured down upon them from the central chandelier. In
the doorway Roger stood regarding them.

It was one of those moments when there is simply nothing to say.
Explanations would only aggravate a situation already impossible.
Utterly confused, Holliday automatically straightened his tie, while
Therese, seated, smoothed her tumbled hair and stared at the intruder
with horror-stricken eyes. For several seconds no one spoke.

Roger, indeed, felt powerless to make any comment. After the first
shock of discovery he was dumb from sheer fury. Indignant beyond words
at what seemed to him a rank insult to his father, the emotion he felt
struck to the very root of his being. For the moment he saw red. At
last he addressed Holliday.

"Get out!" he commanded, and pointed to the door.

The young man had by now recovered a slight degree of his usual poise.
His eyebrows lifted with a touch of arrogance.

"Steady on. What right have you got to order me out of this house?"

"Never you mind what right I've got," Roger blazed at him, but keeping
his voice low. "You get out, or I'll throw you out. You've heard me."

Holliday looked at Therese, who, pale and shaken, nodded slightly.

"Go," she murmured; "you can do no good by staying."

He made a faint show of standing his ground, then with a contemptuous
shrug went out through the garden doors.

Roger took three strides after him and closed the doors, bolting them
quietly. When he turned he saw a change in his stepmother. Her eyes
regarded him with a Medusa-like stare; a spot of dull red smouldered in
each cheek. Her lips seemed suddenly thin, were working slightly. He
kn