. "I think you
are the most wonderful thing that could ever happen to any man. There
are times when I can hardly believe the evidence of my senses. Imagine
me, a common menial, sitting here in the lap of luxury, holding familiar
converse with a queen like you and not feeling in the least embarrassed,
drinking in your ineffable loveliness unchecked, unrebuked, unafraid,
as the desert sands thirstily absorb the heavenly ram, drunk with the
rich wine of your sympathy and maddened with the subtle delirium of your
personal charms."

His voice, low and tense in the beginning, was now vibrant; he had risen
and was leaning across the low table, his muscles quivering, yet the
woman felt not the slightest fear of him. On the contrary, she was
thrilling to the core with a mad joy that she wanted to shout from the
housetops. Her face was very pale, but her eyes were jet black and
sparkling with a flame that burned down to the steel of the man,
inciting him to recklessness, and he threw reason to the winds.

"Constance!" His whisper was hoarse with suppressed emotion. He walked
swiftly to her side and held out his arms appealingly. She was quivering
all over, her bosom heaving tumultuously. He bent over her slowly until
his hot breath scorched her cheek. "Constance!"

Panting like a wounded animal she sprang to her feet; at the touch of
his encircling arms she gave a tremulous little sigh and her head sank
on his shoulder. Very tenderly, but firmly, he put one hand beneath her
soft chin and forced her face upward toward his. Almost had his lips
touched hers, when, with a gasping cry, she put both her hands against
his chest and violently pushed him away.

"No! My God, no!" The words were a broken sob. "We are both mad! It
cannot be! Think of my husband, of Grace!"

"It's a little late to think of them now. And what do they, or the rest
of the whole world, signify to us?" Smiling confidently he again
approached her with outstretched arms, but she swiftly evaded him, and
snatched up a pearl-handled stiletto which she had been utilizing as a
paper cutter. At his grim smile of contempt she flung it down on the
table and laid her hand on the call bell. He gave a shrug and dropped
his arms.

"That is unnecessary," he said quietly. "Your pitiful fear is an
efficient safeguard against any further importunity. Courage is an
indispensable quantity in the composition of a wolf. I have been
ludicrously mistaken. May I hope that you will