ld her, facing
him.

"Sylvia," he said. "I ought to have gone into the money question
with you before. But all I have is yours. You know that, don't
you?"

She laughed at him through the smoke. "I know where you keep it
anyhow, partner," she said. "But I shan't take any--so you needn't
be afraid."

"Afraid!" he said, still holding her. "But you are to take it.
Understand? It's my wish."

She blew the smoke at him, delicately, through pursed lips. "Good
my lord, I don't want it. Couldn't spend it if I had it. So now!"

"Then what is it I am to buy?" he said.

Lightly she answered him. "Oh, you will only do the paying part.
I shall do the choosing--and the bargaining, if necessary."

"Well, what is it?" Still he held her, and there was something of
insistence, something of possession, in his hold.

Possibly she had never before seemed more desirable to him--or more
elusive. For she was beginning to realize and to wield her power.
Again she took a whiff from her cigarette, and wafted it at him
through laughing lips.

"I want some wool--good wool--and a lot of it, to knit some
socks--for you. Your present things are disgraceful."

His look changed a little. His eyes shone through the veil of
smoke she threw between them, "I can buy ready-made socks. I'm not
going to let you make them--or mend them."

Sylvia's red lips expressed scorn. "Ready-made rubbish! No, sir.
With your permission I prefer to make. Then perhaps I shall have
less mending to do."

He was drawing her to him and she did not actively resist, though
there was no surrender in her attitude.

"And why won't you have any money?" he said. "We are partners."

She laughed lightly. "And you give me board and lodging. I am not
worth more."

He looked her in the eyes. "Are you afraid to take too much--lest
I should want too much in return?"

She did not answer. She was trembling a little in his hold, but
her eyes met his fearlessly.

He put up a hand and took the cigarette very gently from her lips.
"Sylvia, I'm going to tell you something--if you'll listen."

He paused a moment. She was suddenly throbbing from head to foot.

"What is it?" she whispered.

He snuffed out the cigarette with his fingers and put it in his
pocket. Then he bent to her, his hand upon her shoulder.

His lips were open to speak, and her silence waited for the words,
when like the sudden rending of the heavens there came an awful
sound clos