I couldn't get away from _it_. You'd keep me
in it. It's what you like me for--what you're marrying me for. You
haven't married, all these years, because you can't stand living with a
decent woman. And you think, if I marry you, it will make it all right.
All right!"

She rose and defied him. "Why, I'd rather be your mistress. Then I could
get away from you. I shall get away now."

She turned violently, and he leaped up and caught her in his arms. She
struggled, beating upon his breast, and crying with a sad, inarticulate
cry. She would have sunk to the floor if he had not kept his hold of
her.

He raised her, and she stood still, breathing hard, while he still
grasped her tightly by the wrists.

"Let me go," she said faintly.

"Where are you going to?"

"I don't know."

"You've no money. If you're not going back what are you going to do?"

"I don't know."

Her eyelids dropped, and he saw mendacity in her eyes' furtive fleeing
under cover. He held her tighter. His arm shook her, not brutally, but
with a nervous movement that he was powerless to control.

"You lie," he said. "You've been lying to me all the time. You _are_
going back. You're going to that fellow Lucy."

"No. I'm going--somewhere--where I shan't see him."

"Where?"

"I don't know."

"Abroad?"

"I think so."

"By yourself?"

Her eyelids quivered, and she panted. "Yes."

There was a knock at the door.

"Let me go," she said again.

He let her go.

"You're going to live--by yourself--respectably--abroad?"

She was silent.

"And how long do you think that will last?"

"I don't know."

Jane Lucy's voice called her from the door. He swore under his breath.

"Let her come in. I want her."

He laid his hand upon the door.

"What are you going to do?" he reiterated.

"Oh, let her come to me."

"You haven't answered my question."

"Let me see her first. Leave me alone with her. Janey! Janey!" she
called.

"Very well," he said.

He opened the door and bowed to Jane Lucy as she entered.

"I shall come back," he said, "for my answer."

CHAPTER XXII

"Did Robert send you?" she asked, when she was alone with Jane.

"Yes."

"It's no good. I can't do what he wants."

"What are you going to do, dear?"

"I don't know. I don't care. The terrible thing is that I've had to hurt
him. I must go away somewhere."

"I'll come with you and see you through."

Kitty shook her head.

"Don't think about it now," said