"Be reasonable!" "Reasonable! You talk of reason--you who brought me here to live like a dog, to treat as a dog----" He sighed as he remembered her aversion to any attempted acts of kindness on his part. In every instance she had made it clear that she wanted nothing from him--that she refused kindnesses, sacrifices, on her behalf. "I ain't treated you in any way different to that in which a husband would treat his wife." "Wife--you call me that?" "What do you call it, then?" "Prisoner--slave!" His face hardened. "And if I did, ain't there some justification? If our deal had been a love deal I guess the arrangement would have been canceled long ago. But it wasn't. It was commercial transaction to which you gave your approval. It may be morally wrong to keep you, but the whole darned frame-up was morally wrong. So morals don't come into it--savvy? Legally I got a claim to my--goods, and you're asking me to forgo that claim. But you don't show much regret at taking a hand in that dirty business----" "I told you I was sorry." "Yep--sorry, because it's hurting _you_." She knew this was true, and the fact that he knew it too stung her. She sunk her head in her hands and remained for some time in silence. When she raised it again her face was full of a new determination. "You are only bringing pain upon yourself," she said tensely. "I can bear it." "Can you?--I wanted to spare you--but you are forcing me to this--forcing me to tell you something that is going to hurt you." The tragic tone of her voice caused him to stand as though petrified. "I said I should go now--to-night; and I am going." "So!" he stammered, feeling an awful pang of fear at his heart. "You have hitherto considered no one but yourself. How far will you carry your desire for vengeance?" "I don't get you----" "Wait! I told you it was killing me up here. That didn't seem to influence you much--but suppose there is someone else to be considered----" "What are you saying?" "Are you blind? Can't you guess? The other person is as yet unborn." His eyes were blind with pain. He gripped a chair and swayed dizzily. His mouth moved, but uttered no sound. When at last he spoke the words came as though forced from a clutched throat. "Not that!--God, you don't mean that? Tell me you don't mean that--Angela----" She sank her head on her bosom and a sob escaped her. The next moment her head was jerked up and she was gazing into his steely fixed eyes. "Was it--that man--D'Arcy?" Another sob convinced him. He flung her arm aside and walked to the door. He had encountered hardships, disappointments, physical and mental pain, but nothing like this devastating destroyer that was gripping him. He stumbled out of the shack like a terribly sick man. "Oh God!" he groaned. "And I loved her!"