he was going to die--no such luck! He was thinking that this merely
complicated things, or that she might be acting, but that it could not
stand in his way. Why had she tried to trick him in this way? It was her
fault. Now she was crying, but that was the old hypocrisy of emotion
that she had used so often. He did not intend to desert her absolutely.
She would have plenty to live on. Merely he did not propose to live with
her, if he could help it, or only nominally, anyhow. The major portion
of his time should be given to Suzanne.

"I don't care what it costs," he said finally. "I don't propose to live
with you. I didn't ask you to have a child. It was none of my doing.
You're not going to be deserted financially, but I'm not going to live
with you."

He stirred again, and Angela stared hot-cheeked. The hardness of the man
enraged her for the moment. She did not believe that she would starve,
but their improving surroundings, their home, their social position,
would be broken up completely.

"Yes, yes. I understand," she pleaded, with an effort at controlling
herself, "but I am not the only one to be considered. Are you thinking
of Mrs. Dale, and what she may do and say? She isn't going to let you
take Suzanne if she knows it, without doing something about it. She is
an able woman. She loves Suzanne, however self-willed she may be. She
likes you now, but how long do you think she is going to like you when
she learns what you want to do with her daughter? What are you going to
do with her? You can't marry her under a year even if I were willing to
give you a divorce. You could scarcely get a divorce in that time."

"I'm going to live with her, that's what I'm going to do," declared
Eugene. "She loves me, she's willing to take me just as I am. She
doesn't need marriage ceremonies and rings and vows and chains. She
doesn't believe in them. As long as I love her, all right. When I cease
to love her, she doesn't want me any more. Some difference in that,
isn't there?" he added bitterly. "It doesn't sound exactly like
Blackwood, does it?"

Angela bridled. His taunts were cruel.

"She says that, Eugene," she replied quietly, "but she hasn't had time
to think. You've hypnotized her for the moment. She's fascinated. When
she stops to think later, if she has any sense, any pride---- But, oh,
why should I talk, you won't listen. You won't think." Then she added:
"But what do you propose to do about Mrs. Dale? Don't you suppo