ind him, and she
was alone. She sank down over the table, quivering all over. Her
pulses were racing, her nerves in a wild tumult. She believed that
the memory of that scorching kiss would tingle upon her lips for
ever. It was as if an electric current had suddenly entered her
inner-most being and now ran riot in every vein. And so wild was
the tumult within her that she knew not whether dread or dismay or
a frantic, surging, leaping thing that seemed to cry aloud for
liberty were first in that mad race. She clasped her hands very
tightly over her face, struggling to master those inner forces that
fought within her. Never in her life had so fierce a conflict torn
her. Soul and body, she seemed to be striving with an adversary
who pierced her at every turn. He had kissed her thus; and in that
unutterable moment he had opened her eyes, confronting her with an
amazing truth from which she could not turn aside. Passion and a
fierce and terrible jealousy had mingled in his kiss, anger also,
and a menacing resentment that seemed to encompass her like a fiery
ring, hedging her round.

But not love! There had been no love in his kiss. It had been an
outrage of love, and it had wounded her to the heart. It had made
her want to hide--to hide--till the first poignancy of the pain
should be past. And yet--and yet--in all her anguish she knew that
the way which Guy had so recklessly suggested was no way of escape
for her. To flee from him was to court disaster--such disaster as
would for ever wreck her chance of happiness. It could but confirm
the evil doubt he harboured and might lead to such a catastrophe as
she would not even contemplate.

But yet some way of escape there must be, and desperately she
sought it, striving in defence of that nameless thing that had
sprung to such wild life within her under the burning pressure of
his lips, that strange and untamed force that she could neither
bind nor subdue, but which to suffer him to behold meant sacrilege
to her shrinking soul--such sacrilege as she believed she could
never face and live.

Gradually the turmoil subsided, but it left her weak, inert,
impotent. The impulse to pray came to her, but the prayer that
went up from her trembling heart was voiceless and wordless. She
had no means of expression in which to cloak her utter need. Only
the stark helplessness of her whole being cried dumbly for
deliverance.

A long time passed. The bungalow was silen