Think!"
Her face went suddenly ashen. He stood before her grimly
triumphant, enjoying his sense of mastery and deliberately
prolonging her suspense.
"Well, I told him before them all that I intended to give him
something in return, and I did. I--gave--him--YOU."
She stared at him uncomprehendingly.
He nodded. "I said he'd had you from the first and that now I'd
give you to him."
She gave an unintelligible cry, standing now, as if petrified. He
went on:
"I knew all the time that I was in the way, but my work is done at
last, so I'll step out. But--you both got more than you bargained
for, didn't you?"
"God! You didn't tell him that? You didn't say THAT--before those
men! Oh-h!" She shrank back, drawing the gauzy silk robe closer
about her breast. Her hands were shaking, her hair, which had
fallen free when she rose, cascaded about her neck and shoulders.
She let her eyes wander about the room as if to assure herself
that this was not some hideous nightmare. Then she roused to
sudden action. Seizing him by the shoulders she shook him roughly
with far more than her natural strength, voicing furious words
which neither of them understood.
"Oh, I did it," he declared. "He's yours now. You can have him.
He's been your lover--"
She flung him away from her so violently that he nearly fell.
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