because he worked with my husband. He changed because I loved
him and he loved me. I know it ... I've known it all the time. What did
your love do for him in all those years? Nothing ... nothing at all.
For heaven's sake don't think I'm boasting! Your love never changed him
a hair's breadth, and you know it!"

Mrs. Payne gasped. "You don't realize what you're saying."

"But I do ... I do. You say his body's part of you--belongs to you.
I'll give you that. But this soul ... his new soul ... is mine. That's
part of our love. Ours and nobody else's...."

Mrs. Payne choked back her emotion. "I don't grudge it you," she said,
"I only thank God for it gratefully ... gratefully."

"But you don't see what I mean," said Gabrielle slowly. "Arthur has
changed because he loves me. He's ceased to be cruel because he knows
that for him to be cruel pains me. He's learned to see things just as I
see them. And now you want to separate us ... even after what I have
promised you. Can't you see what I'm afraid of?"

She paused, and Mrs. Payne was silent. Gabrielle quickly pressed her
advantage.

"If you separate us, if you try to destroy our love, you'll be taking
away from him the thing that's saved him. How do you know that he won't
slip back again? You can take his body from me ... I know that ... but
you may lose more than you get."

Mrs. Payne stood staring straight in front of her.

"Then you will know what you are worth to him." Gabrielle's tone was
almost scornful. "You see how it stands," she continued. "We both of us
want him for ourselves, we want him as he is to-day ... and we can't
either of us have him without the other's consent. You hold his body,
and I hold his soul. Let's be reasonable. Let's compromise. I'm ready
to do my part. Oh, I beg you to be reasonable!"

"You're a devil, not a woman," said Mrs. Payne.

"But you see that I'm right?" Gabrielle persisted.

Mrs. Payne summoned all her strength. "No, I don't. I don't believe it."

"Ah, you pretend that you don't! But you're bluffing me. I know it.
Why did you come to me about this instead of to Arthur himself? Because
you were afraid. That was the reason."

The shot was made at a venture, but Gabrielle quickly saw that it had
taken effect. She followed it up:

"You thought that if you upset him he might lose what he's gained. You
don't know--we none of us know yet--how deep the change is. You didn't
dare to face that