ver, Mildred. Because I love you better than any
one or any thing in the world; and yesterday you thought you loved me,
you thought you could trust all your life to me."

She had known the answer already in her heart, but the fact stated
plainly by another, became even more dreadful, more intolerable, than
before. She uttered a low cry and covered her eyes with her hand.

"Mildred--dearest!" he breathed imploringly.

Then she raised her head and looked straight at him with flaming eyes,
this fair, fragile creature transformed into a pitiless Fury. She forgot
that indeed an Evil Spirit had dwelt within her; George Goring might be
victim rather than culprit. In this hour of her anguish the identity of
that body of hers, which through him was defiled, that honor of hers,
yes and of Ian Stewart's, which through him was dragged in the dust,
made her no longer able to keep clearly in mind the separateness of the
Mildred Stewart of yesterday from herself.

"I tell you I was mad," she gasped; "and you--you vile, wicked man!--you
took advantage of it to ruin my life--to ruin my husband's life! You
must know Ian Stewart, a man whose shoes you are not fit to tie. Do you
think any woman in her senses would leave him for you? Ah!--" she
breathed a long, shuddering breath and her hand was clinched so hard
upon the loose album clasp that it ran into her palm.

"Mildred!" cried George, staggered, stricken as though by some fiery
rain.

"I ought to be sorry for your wife," she went on. "She is a splendid
woman, she has done nothing to deserve that you should treat her so
scandalously. But I can't--I can't"--a dry sob caught her voice--"be
sorry for any one except myself and Ian. I always knew I wasn't good
enough to be his wife, but I was so proud of it--so proud--and now--Oh,
it's too horrible! I'm not fit to live."

George had sunk upon a chair and hidden his face in his hands.

"Don't say that," he muttered hoarsely, almost inaudibly. "It was my
doing."

She broke out again.

"Of course it was. It's nothing to you, I suppose. You've broken my
husband's heart and mine too; you've hopelessly disgraced us both and
spoiled our lives; and all for the sake of a little amusement, a little
low pleasure. We can't do anything, we can't punish you; but if curses
were any use, oh, how I could curse you, Mr. Goring!"

The sobs rising in a storm choked her voice. She rushed from the room,
closing the door behind her and leaving George