away forever this ridiculous idea of a Presence, and of setting yourself
up to be better than any one else! This isn't religion, it is
fanaticism! And it has got to stop now and _forever_, or I will have
nothing whatever to do with you. Either you give up this idea of a ghost
following you around all the time and accept Mr. Ramsey Thomas's offer
this afternoon, or you and I part! You can choose, _now_, between me and
your Presence!"

CHAPTER XXVI

Gila had never been more beautiful than when she stood and uttered her
terrible ultimatum to Courtland. Her little imperial head sat on her
lovely shoulders royally, her attitude was perfect grace. Her spirited
face with its dark eyes and lashes, its setting of blue-black hair, was
fascinating in its exquisite modeling. She looked like a proud young
cameo standing for her portrait. But her words shot through Courtland's
heart like icy swords dividing his soul from his body.

He rose to his feet, gone suddenly white and stern, and stood looking at
her as if his own heart had turned traitor and slain him. A moment they
stood in battle array, two forces representing the two great powers of
the universe. Looking straight into each other's souls they stood,
plumbing the depths, seeing as in a revelation what each really was!

To Courtland it was suddenly made plain that this girl had no part or
lot in the things that had become vital to him. She had not seen, she
_would_ not see! Her love was not great enough to carry her over the
bridge that separated them, and back over which he might not go after
her!

Gila in her fierce haughtiness looked into her lover's eyes and saw, as
she had never seen before, the mighty strength of his character! Saw
that here was a man such as she would not likely meet again upon her
way, and she was about to lose him forever. Saw that he would never
give in about a matter of principle, and that his love was worth all the
more to any woman because he would not; knew which way he would choose,
from the first word of her challenge; yet the little fury within her
would not let her withdraw. She stood with haughty mien and cold,
flashing eyes, watching him suffer the blow she had dealt him; knew that
it was more than his love for her she was killing with that blow, yet
did not withdraw it while she might.

"Gila! Do you mean that?"

She looked him straight in the eye and thrust her sword in the deeper
with a steady hand. "I do!"

He stood f