rl's beauty, her indifference, the mistaken attitude of Stark
urged him, and, strongest of all, he was drawn by his cupidity, for she
would be very rich, so the knowing ones said. Doubtless that was why
Stark wanted her, and, being a man who acknowledged no fidelity to his
kind or his Creator, Runnion determined to outwit his principal, Doret,
Burrell, and all the rest. It was a chance to win much at the risk of
nothing, and he was too good a gambler to let it pass.

With his brusque declaration Necia realized her position--that she was
a weak, lonely girl, just come into womanhood, so cursed by good looks
that men wanted her, so stained by birth that they would not take her
honestly; realized that she was alone with a dissolute creature and
beyond help, and for the first time in her life she felt the meaning of
fear.

She saw what a frail and helpless thing she was; nothing about her was
great save her soul, and that was immeasurably vexed and worried. She
had just lived through a grief that had made her generous, and now she
gained her first knowledge of the man-animal's gross selfishness.

"You are absolutely daft," she said. "You can't force me to marry you."

"I ain't going to force you; you'll do it willingly."

"I'll die first. I'll call the first man we see--I'll tell Father
Barnum, and he'll have you run out of the country--it would only take a
word from me."

"If you haven't changed your mind when we get to his place, I'll run
through without stopping; but there isn't another priest between there
and St. Mike's, and by the time we get to the mouth of the river, I
guess you'll say yes to most anything. However, I'd rather marry you at
Holy Cross if you'll consent, and I'm pretty sure you will--when you
think it over."

"We won't discuss it."

"You don't understand yet," he continued, slowly. "What will people say
when they know you ran away with me."

"I'll tell them the truth."

"Huh! I'm too well known. No man on the river would ever have you after
that."

"You--you--" Her voice was a-quiver with indignation and loathing, but
her lips could not frame an epithet fit for him. He continued rowing
for some time, then said:

"Will you marry me?"

"No! If this thing is ever known, Poleon will kill you--or father."

For a third time he rested on his oars.

"Now that we've come to threats, let me talk. I offered to marry you
and do the square thing, but if you don't want to, I'll pass up the
forma