"We--we said nothing else," she stammered.

"Say what you like. What is it to me? I am a man, and the clatter of
women's tongues is no concern of mine."

He strode to the door. From over his shoulder he said, "What I shall
do with you I have not yet decided. If Tolla is interested, tell her
that."

"Tako, let me--I mean you do not understand--"

But he was gone. Jane sat trembling. A sense of defeat was on her.
Worse than that, she felt that she had done us all immeasurable
harm. Tako's anger might react upon Don and me. As a matter of fact,
if it did he concealed it, for we saw no change in his attitude.

Tolla rejoined Jane within a moment. If Tako spoke to her outside
Jane did not know it. But she was at once aware that the other girl
had been listening; Tolla's face was white and grim. She came in,
busied herself silently about the room.

Jane turned from the window. "You heard us, Tolla?"

"Yes, I heard you! You with your crooked look staring at him--"

"Why, Tolla, I did not!"

"I saw you! Staring at him so that he would think you beautiful!
Asking him, with a boldness beyond that of any woman I could ever
imagine--asking him if he planned you for his harem!"

* * * * *

She stood over Jane, staring down with blazing eyes. "Oh, I heard
you! And I heard him telling you how noble are his motives! One
woman, just for him!"

"But, Tolla--"

"Do not lie to me! I heard him sneering at me--telling you of this
one woman just for him! And you are that woman! Hah! He thinks that
now, does he? He thinks he will make you love him as I love him. As
I love him! And what does he know of that! What woman's love can
mean!"

"Tolla! Don't be foolish. I didn't--I never had any desire to--"

"What do your desires concern me? He thinks he will win you with
tales of his conquests! A great man, this Tako, because he will
devastate New York!"

This was the fury of a woman scorned. She was wholly beside herself,
her words tumbling, incoherent, beyond her will, beyond her
realization of what she was saying.

"A great conquest to make you love him! With his giant projector he
will subdue New York! Hah! What a triumph! But it is the weapon's
power, not his! He and all his army--these great brave and warlike
men--why I alone with that weapon could turn--"

She stopped abruptly. The red flush of frenzied anger drained from
her cheeks.

Jane leaped to her feet. "What do you mean? With t