k what reason Mr. Gerald Chan-dos gives
for asking you to submit to such an insult, for it is an insult?"

"He has very good reasons," answered Mollie, beginning to falter all at
once, as the matter was presented to her in this new and trying light.
"He has very good reasons,--something about business and--and his
family, and he does not intend to insult me. He is very fond of me and
very proud of me, and he is going to try to make me very happy. He--he
has bought me a beautiful trousseau--" And then, seeing the two exchange
indignant yet pitying glances, she broke off suddenly and burst forth as
if she was trying to hide in anger the subtle, mysterious fear which was
beginning to creep upon her. "How dare you look at each other so!" she
cried. "How dare you look at me so! I have done nothing wrong. He says
many other people do the same thing and--and I won't be looked at so. I
shall not tell you another word. You--you look as if I was going to do
something wicked and dreadful." And she flung herself face downward upon
the sofa cushions and broke into a passionate, excited sob.

Then Dolly could control herself no longer. She flashed out into a storm
of wrath and scorn against this cool, systematic scoundrel, who would
have wrought such harm-against such simple ignorance of the world.
What had they not saved her from, poor, foolish child? She clenched her
little, gloved hand and struck it against the sofa arm, the hot color
flaming up on her cheeks and the fire lighting in her eyes.

"Mollie!" she exclaimed, "that is what is true! You are going to do
something that is dreadful to think of, though you do not think so
because you do not know the truth. And we have come to tell you the
truth and save you. That man is a villain,--he is the worst of villains.
He does not intend to marry you,--he cannot marry you, and, knowing
he cannot, he has been laying traps for months to drag you down into
a horrible pit of shame. Yes, of the bitterest grief and shame,--poor,
simple child as you are,--for I must tell you the whole dreadful truth,
though I would far rather hide it from you, if I could. There are some
wicked, wicked men in the world, Mollie, and Gerald Chandos is one of
the worst, for he has got a wife already."

It did not seem to be Mollie who sprang up from her cushions and
confronted them with wide-opened eyes. Every bit of color had died out
of her cheeks and lips, and she turned from one to the other with a
wild,