To-night, the night of his triumph, I am
going to crack him like an egg."
"You will ruin him?" she said.
"That is it," he said, with a nod. "I shall ruin him!"
"Is there no escape?" she asked in a low voice.
"None," he replied, grimly. "I tell you that nothing can save him."
"Excepting one thing," she said in so low a voice that it sounded as if
she were speaking to herself.
"Eh?" he said, as if he had not caught the words. "What is it you mean:
what can save him, what is this one thing?"
His heavy brows came done, and he frowned at her.
She raised her eyes, cold and glittering like steel, and met his frown
unflinchingly.
"The marriage of his son Stafford with your daughter," she said,
slowly, calmly.
CHAPTER XX.
Mr. Falconer started and stared at her, his heavy face growing a
dust-red, his eyes distended with amazement and anger.
"Are you out of your mind?" he said at last, and frowning at her in a
kind of perplexity. "'Pon my soul, Maude, I'm never quite certain
whether you are in jest or earnest! If this is intended for a joke,
permit me to tell you I consider it in vilely bad taste.
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