She said: "No
matter what you might do to me, when I'm away from you, it would be
less than you'd do with me under your roof. At any rate, it'd seem
less."

The general reflected, decided to change to another point: "You made a
bargain with me. You've broken it. I never let anyone break a bargain
with me without making them regret it. I'm giving you a chance to keep
your bargain."

She was tempted to discuss, but she could not find the words, or the
strength. Besides, how futile to discuss with such a man. She sank
back in her chair wearily. "I shall never go back," she said.

He looked at her, his face devoid of expression, but she had a sense of
malignance unutterable eying her from behind a screen. He said: "I
see you've misunderstood my generosity. You think I'm weak where you
are concerned because I've come to you instead of doing as I said and
making you come to me." He rose. "Well, my offer to you is closed. And
once more I say, you will come to me and ask to be taken back. I may
or may not take you back. It depends on how I'll feel at that time."

Slowly, with his ludicrously pompous strut, he marched to the
drawing-room door. She had not felt like smiling, but if there had
been any such inclination it would have fled before the countenance
that turned upon her at the threshold. It was the lean, little face
with the funny toupee and needle-like mustache and imperial, but behind
it lay a personality like the dull, cold, yellow eyes of the devil-fish
ambushed in the hazy mass of dun-colored formlessness of collapsed body
and tentacles. He said:

"You'd best be careful how you conduct yourself. You'll be under
constant observation. And any friends you make--they'd do well to
avoid you."

He was gone. She sat without the power of motion, without the power of
thought. After a time--perhaps long, perhaps short, she did not
know--Mrs. Belloc came in and entered upon a voluble apology for the
maid's having shown "the little gentleman" into the drawing-room when
another was already there. "That maid's as green as spring corn," said
she. "Such a thing never happened in my house before. And it'll never
happen again. I do hope it didn't cause trouble."

"It was my husband," said Mildred. "I had to see him some time."

"He's certainly a very elegant little gentleman," said Mrs. Belloc. "I
rather like small men, myself."

Mildred gazed at her vaguely and said, "Tell me--a rich man, a very
ri