them things." He jerked his bowed head toward the littered
table.

For the first time, his tone was curt.

But she was too much mistress of herself and the situation now to be
more than faintly annoyed by it.

"I'll wash them up in the morning," she said casually. She started
toward the door behind which her box had been carried.

"Wash 'em up now, my girl. You'll find the only way to keep things clean
is to wash 'em the moment you've done with 'em."

She smiled at him over her shoulder, her hand on the knob of the door.
But she did not move.

"Did you hear what I said?"

"I did."

"Then why don't you do as I tell you?"

"Because I don't choose to."

"You ain't taking long to try it out, are you?" His face wore an ugly
sneer.

"They say there's no time like the present."

"Are you going to wash up them things?"

"No."

There was a moment's silence while he held her eyes with his. Then, very
slowly and deliberately he got up, poured some boiling water into a pan
and placed it, together with a ragged dishcloth, on the table.

"Are you going to wash up them things?"

"No."

She was still cool and smiling: only, her grip on the knob of the door
had tightened until the nails of her fingers were white.

"Do you want me to make you?"

"How can you do that?"

"I'll soon show you."

She waited the fraction of a moment.

"I'll just get out those rugs, shall I? I think the holdall was put in
here. I expect it gets very cold toward morning."

She had opened the door now and stepped across the threshold. Her face
was still turned toward his, but her smile was a little fixed.

"Nora."

"Yes."

"Come here."

"Why?"

"Because I tell you to."

Still, she did not move. In two strides he was over at her side. He
stretched out his hand to seize her by the wrist.

"You daren't touch me!"

She pulled the door to sharply and stood with her back against it,
facing him. Her face was as white as a linen mask, and about as
expressionless. Only her eyes lived. Anger and fear had enlarged the
pupils until they seemed black in the dead white of her face.

"You daren't!" she repeated.

"I daren't: who told you that?"

"Have you forgotten that I'm a woman?"

"No, I haven't. That's why I'm going to make you do as I tell you. If
you were a man, I mightn't be able to. Come, now."

He made a movement to take her by the arm, but she was too quick for
him. With the quickness of a cat, she slipped aside. T