a pause--a pause in which torment showed
on the face of David. And then, deliberately, she made her eyes
soften--made her lips smile.

"Yes, David, I will come back!"

He leaned a little toward her, then straightened with a shudder and
crossed the patio to the Room of Silence. Behind that door he
disappeared, and left Connor and the girl alone. The gambler threw down
his arms as if abandoning a burden.

"Why in the name of God did you let him leave you?" he groaned. "Why?
Why? Why?"

"He's going to come," asserted Ruth.

"Never in a thousand years. The fool will talk to his dummy god in
yonder and come out with one of his iced looks and talk about
'judgment'! Bah!"

"He'll come."

"What makes you think so?"

"Because--I know."

"You should have waited--to-morrow you could have done it, maybe, but
to-day is too soon."

"Listen to me, Ben. I know him. I know his childish, greedy mind. He
wants me just as much as he wants his own way. It's partly because I'm
new to him, being a woman. It's chiefly because I'm the first thing he's
ever met that won't do what he wants. He's going to try to stay with me
until he bends me." She flushed with angry excitement.

"It's playing with fire, Ruth. I know you're clever, but--"

"You don't know how clever, but I'm beginning to guess what I can do.
I've lost all feeling about that cruel barbarian, Ben. That poor little
harmless, pretty colt--oh, I want to make David Eden burn for that! And
I can do it. I'm going to wind him around my finger. I've thought of
ways while I stood looking at him just now. I know how I can smile at
him, and use my eyes, and woo him on, and pretend to be just about to
yield and come back with him--then grow cold the next minute and give
him his work to do over again. I'm going to make him crawl on his knees
in the dust. I'm going to make a fool of him before people. I'm going to
make him sign over his horses to us to keep them out of his vicious
power. And I can do it--I hate him so that I know I can make him really
love me. Oh, I know he doesn't really love me now. I know you're right
about him. He simply wants me as he'd want another horse. I'll change
him. I'll break him. When he's broken I'm going to laugh in his
face--and tell him--to remember Timeh!"

"Ruth!" gasped Connor.

He looked guiltily around, and when he was sure no one was within reach
of her voice, he glanced back with admiration.

"By the Lord, Ruth, who'd ever have guesse