m
another man. By hook or crook I'm going to make her my wife. She won't
take kindly to that at first, perhaps, but I'll make her happy in the
end. In one way this delay has been a good thing. It must have worn her
out and broken her spirits quite a bit; eh?"

"She seems very miserable," conceded the woman.

"Do you find her hard to manage? Does she show much temper? In other
words, do you suppose she'll put up a fight?"

Madame Cerise regarded him wonderingly.

"She is a good girl," was her reply. "She loves with much devotion the
man from whom you have stolen her. I am quite positive she will never
consent to become your wife."

"Oh, you are? Well, I intend she shall marry me, and that settles it.
She's unnerved and miserable now, and I mean to grind her down till she
hasn't strength to resist me. That sounds hard. I know; but it's the
only way to accomplish my purpose. After she's my wife I'll be very kind
to her, poor thing, and teach her to love me. A man can do anything with
a woman if he sets about it the right way. I'm not taking this stand
because I'm cruel, Cerise, but because I'm desperate. All's fair in love
and war, you know, and this is a bit of both."

He was pacing the floor by this time, his hands thrust deep in his
pockets, an anxious look upon his face that belied his bombastic words.

The Frenchwoman's expression was impassive. Her scorn for the wretch
before her was tempered with the knowledge that his cowardly plan was
doomed to defeat. It was she who had checkmated him, and she was glad.
Now and again her eyes sought the clock, while she silently calculated
the time to elapse before Arthur Weldon arrived. There would be a pretty
scene then, Cerise would have much enjoyment in witnessing the
encounter.

"Now, then, take me to Louise," commanded Mershone, suddenly.

She shrank back in dismay.

"Oh, not yet, m'sieur!"

"Why not?"

"The young lady is asleep. She will not waken for an hour--perhaps two."

"I can't wait. We'll waken her now, and give her an idea of the change
of program."

"But no, m'sieur! It is outrageous. The poor thing has but now sobbed
herself to sleep, after many bitter hours. Can you not wait a brief
hour, having waited five days?"

"No. Take me to her at once." As he came toward her the woman drew
away.

"I cannot," she said firmly.

"See here, Cerise, I intend to be obeyed. I won't endure any nonsense at
this stage of the game, believe me," he announced