have it done, Mr. Marston?
Tell me, and I'll not detain you any longer."

Again he smiled his wolfish smile, and gazed on her in a sinister way.

"We do not get things for nothing in this world," he answered, in a
cold, deliberate voice. The paroxysm of passion which had shaken him was
gone now, and had left him maliciously cool and scheming. "You want me
to declare this dividend. I can do it yet, for I'm the bank, you know. I
kick those pups around down there like I do these dogs and niggers here
at home. The question is--how badly do you want this dividend?"

A rosy flush flared up into Julia's waxen cheeks.

"It is not quite fair to flaunt our need in my face," she answered, all
but imperiously. "But you know how we are situated, as does every one in
Macon, and this county. Father's bank stock is his only source of
income, if you will have me say it."

"You have not exactly answered my question," pursued Devil Marston. "I
told you that everything worth having must be bought. What will you give
me for this dividend?"

"I do not understand what you mean. It belongs to us--or our part of it
does. Why will you not let us have it?"

She could not look at him; his face was repulsive beyond measure, and
she kept her eyes on the delicately-veined ears of The Prince as she
desperately fought her battle of words.

"I will let you have it--but, there is a price to pay. You cannot get
something for nothing, from me!"

His voice rang hard and exultant on the last sentence.

"Please be plain," she urged. "Tell me what you mean, quickly."

"The dividend has its price, if you will pay!" he said, drawing a step
closer. "A little price to save you and your father from starvation. Get
down, come into my home with me, drink a glass of wine with me, kiss me
once!--Will you pay it?"

CHAPTER XII

There was the sound of rushing water in her ears, and for a moment she
was blind. How dared he! To her, a Dudley! Then she knew she was looking
full at him with unutterable scorn in her eyes. He saw the contempt and
indignity which his words had aroused, and his face blackened.

"Just as you will!" he said, roughly. "It's nothing to me. There was a
time when I would have made you mistress of this house, and had it not
been for a scoundrelly, meddling doctor you might have married me! You
love him now--I know! I'm not a fool, but precious little happiness
you'll get from him. They ran him out of Jericho for mixing up with