dn't love me enough even to take the little
I had to give! I didn't want you to marry me. I never dreamt of such a
thing. I had kept myself from harm, but I knew very well I wasn't fit to
be your wife. Only--I loved you so. And when I knew that Bunny was
turning against me--would never believe in me--I just couldn't help
turning to you again. And then--and then--you went and married me!" She
wrung her hands tragically. "I ought not to have let you. God will never
forgive me for it. I don't deserve to be forgiven. But I loved you--I
loved you!"

She covered her face and sobbed.

Saltash reached out a hand and took her by the shoulder. "Nonette!
Nonette!" he said, in a voice that was strangely uncertain. "Don't cry,
child! Don't cry!"

She drew herself away from him. "Don't--don't! I don't want you to. I
just came to tell you--that's all--in case you should think I ever--cared
for--Bunny. Maud says--you ought to know that. We only--only--played
together. We never--really--loved each other. I wasn't his sort--or he
mine. He doesn't want me back. I wouldn't go if he did. I ran away--with
that damn cur Spentoli--to give you a chance--to drop me. I couldn't
face you after you knew everything. You'd never loved me, and I'd tricked
you too badly. I knew you'd want to get free. Why didn't you start in and
get a divorce? Why didn't you? Why didn't you?"

She suddenly lifted her face, storming the words, electrified as it were
by the wild force of her passion. Again he reached a hand towards her,
but she eluded him with a desperate gesture.

"No! No! Don't touch me! Don't touch me! I can't bear it! I'm going now!
I'm going right away. You'll never see me again--never hear of me. And
you'll be free! Do you understand? You'll be quite free. I'll keep that
promise I made to you. It won't be difficult. No one shall ever know
how--and only you--you who never even pretended to love me--will be able
to guess why."

She turned about with the words, and wrenched furiously at the door
behind her. In another moment she would have been gone. But in that
moment Saltash moved, perhaps more swiftly than he had ever moved in
his life before, and in a flash he had her in his arms.

She fought for her freedom then like a terrified animal, twisting this
way and that, straining with frenzied effort to escape. And when, his
hold encompassing her, he broke down her resistance, pressing her
indomitably closer and closer till she lay powerless an