Who provokes and tantalizes and lures on a man, and then
stops him short at the very last moment. The musical-comedy type. The
'mind the paint' girl. A hundred times worse than the frankly vicious. A
woman who knows that a week of living with a man would sicken him of
her. Who's shrewd enough to tantalize him into hand-and-feet marriage.
That's your Miss Verney. You're welcome to her as Miss Verney! So long
as I live, you'll never have her as your wife! That's my last word--my
absolute final last word!"
Olive rose from her chair, quivering in every limb, and swept out of the
room.
Elaine bowed her head in the shame of those bitter words.
Riviere came to her side and kissed her hand reverently.
"You did this for me. I understand all. Elaine, dear, I understand it
all. There's no need for you to explain."
"You don't believe----?"
"Not a word of it! You're the sweetest, bravest----" Words failed him,
and he could only take her hand tenderly in his and let his welter of
unspoken thoughts go silently to her.
"The things she said--you don't believe they're true?" she faltered.
"Don't speak of them.... You've piled up a debt on me more than I can
ever repay. You've freed my hands to fight down Larssen, but at what a
cost to yourself?"
"Then it's freed you?"
"Absolutely. The divorce was Larssen's trump-card. You've fought for me
far better than I could ever have fought for myself. To think of you
lying there helpless, and yet battling for me! My God, but at what a
cost to yourself!"
"If it's freed you, dear John, nothing else matters.
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