her
tears away, and her happy look had come back to her; she was lovelier
than ever.

"I took you by surprise," she said, smiling. "You didn't know what to
make of it. And I was ashamed--I thought you would hate me. But I'm not
going to be unhappy any more--I don't care at all. I'm glad that I
spoke!"

And Mrs. Winnie put up her hands and took him by the lapels of his
coat. "I know that you love me," she said; "I saw it in your eyes just
now, before he came in: It is simply that you won't let yourself go.
You have so many doubts and so many fears. But you will see that I am
right; you will learn to love me. You won't be able to help it--I shall
be so kind and good! Only don't go away--"

Mrs. Winnie was so close to him that her breath touched his cheek.
"Promise me, dear," she whispered--"promise me that you won't stop
seeing me--that you will learn to love me. I can't do without you!"

Montague was trembling in every nerve; he felt like a man caught in a
net. Mrs. Winnie had had everything she ever wanted in her life; and
now she wanted him! It was impossible for her to face any other thought.

"Listen," he began gently.

But she saw the look of resistance in his eyes, and she cried "No
no--don't! I cannot do without you! Think! I love you! What more can I
say to you? I cannot believe that you don't care for me--you HAVE been
fond of me--I have seen it in your face. Yet you're afraid of me--why?
Look at me--am I not beautiful to look at! And is a woman's love such a
little thing--can you fling it away and trample upon it so easily? Why
do you wish to go? Don't you understand--no one knows we are here--no
one cares! You can come here whenever you wish--this is my place--mine!
And no one will think anything about it. They all do it. There is
nothing to be afraid of!"

She put her arms about him, and clung to him so that he could feel the
beating of her heart upon his bosom. "Oh, don't leave me here alone
to-night!" she cried.

To Montague it was like the ringing of an alarm-bell deep within his
soul. "I must go," he said.

She flung back her head and stared at him, and he saw the terror and
anguish in her eyes. "No, no!" she cried, "don't say that to me! I
can't bear it--oh, see what I have done! Look at me! Have mercy on me!"

"Mrs. Winnie," he said, "you must have mercy on ME!"

But he only felt her clasp him more tightly. He took her by the wrists,
and with quiet force he broke her hold upon him; her ha