ew that her anger was even greater than his own, though she might
express it in a different way.

"And now perhaps you will explain what you mean by coming into my salon
and ordering my friends to leave my house?"

Her tone burnt like vitriol. All the suppressed hatred of six years
had compressed itself into that single sentence. He paused, eyeing her
curiously, and choosing his words with a certain care, trying not to
let his anger run away with him.

"See here, Therese," he said at last, "I don't intend to discuss the
matter of my right to do anything in this house. I am simply going to
tell you something. It makes no difference to me what lovers you have,
it is not my affair, so long as you conduct your liaisons with
discretion. But while my father is ill and I am here to protect his
interests, I shall make it my business to see that this sort of thing
doesn't happen under his roof."

"Ah, indeed!" she exclaimed with a touch of bitter contempt.

"You know as well as I that anyone might have come in that door just
now--my aunt, the nurse, one of the servants. You may not care
yourself, but you've got to have respect for my father."

Her breath came hard, the spots of red throbbed like wounds, while all
the time her eyes remained glued to his face with a stare of
fascination. He thought she seemed torn between rage and a reluctant
fear.

"Now listen to me: I shall not say it again. From now on Arthur
Holliday is not to come inside this place until my father is well
again. Is that quite clear?"

An odd mutinous gleam came into her eyes.

"Must I remind you that I am at liberty to do as I like in my own
house?" she said monotonously.

"I don't think I have made myself clear, Therese. I am not arguing; I
am telling you that Holliday must keep away."

He was anxious to go. The scene and her scent nauseated him.

"And suppose I do not choose to do as you say? What then?"

"I'm sorry you asked that, but of course I'll answer it. If I catch
Holliday here again, I shall quite simply tell my father all that I
know about you and him. You may be sure he will divorce you."

She made no sign beyond a little intake of her breath and a dilation of
her nostrils.

"That is a threat, is it not?"

"Of course it's a threat. It is the only way one is able to deal with
a woman like you," he retorted, too irate to soften his words.

"I see."

Her composure was greater than his. He had expected her to fl