. Firmstone loved
strength and beauty for themselves, Miss Hartwell for the personal
pleasure they gave her. She was flattered by the childish attention
which was tendered her and piqued by the obvious fact that her
personality had made only a slight impression upon Elise as compared
with that of Firmstone.

This particular afternoon Elise was returning from a few hours spent
with Miss Hartwell at the Falls. It had been rather unsatisfactory to
both. As the sun began to sink behind the mountain they had started down
the trail together, but the walk was a silent one. Miss Hartwell had a
slight flush of annoyance. Elise, sober and puzzled, was absorbed by
thoughts that were as yet undifferentiated and unidentified. They parted
at the Blue Goose.

Elise turned at the steps and entered by the back door. Morrison was
watching, unseen by either. He noted Elise's path, and as she entered he
confronted her. Elise barely noticed him and was preparing to go
upstairs. Morrison divined her intention and barred her way.

"You're getting too high-toned for common folks, ain't you?"

Elise paused perforce. There was a struggling look in her eyes. Her
thoughts had been too far away from her surroundings to allow of an
immediate return. She remained silent. The scowl on Morrison's face
intensified.

"When you're Mrs. Morrison, you won't go traipsing around with no
high-toned bosses and female dudes more than once. I'll learn you."

Elise came back with a crash.

"Mrs. Morrison!" She did not speak the words, she shrank from them and
left them hanging in their self-polluted atmosphere. "Learn me!" The
words were vibrant with a low-pitched hum, that smote and bored like the
impact of an electric wave. "You--you--snake; you--how dare you!"

Morrison did not flinch. The blind fury of a dared beast flamed in his
eyes.

"Dare, you vixen! I'll make you, or break you! I've been in too many
scraps and smelled too much powder to get scared by a hen that's trying
to crow."

The animal was dominant in Elise. Fury personified flew at Morrison.

"You'll teach me; will you? I'll teach you the difference between a hen
and a wild cat."

The door from the kitchen was opened and Madame came in. She flung
herself between Elise and Morrison. The repressed timorous love of years
flamed upon the thin cheeks, flashed from the faded eyes. There was no
trace of fear. Her slight form fairly shook with the intensity of her
passion.

"Go! Go! Go!"