“That _naïveté_ is your cleverest trick,” he approved. “You probably guessed long before I did my--ah--dishonorable intentions. Since you ask, I don’t mind declaring them here and now.” “Oh, no, not now--not here!” With the protest she got to her feet and turned toward the door. But she was stopped by the compelling look of him. “Why should I be willing to invest you with a power equal almost to my own? Am I likely to overlook how much more deadly is the female than the male--how much faster you will grow in sin than I have done, once you are well started? Should I risk your attempting to overthrow me by not making our interests one?” She did not answer his questions. And she asked none other. She stood, perforce, waiting to hear that of which instinct had warned her all along. He began again in different vein. “I’ve been mighty lonely down here these last few thousand years. You see, I’ve never been appreciated or understood. The moment I saw you that terrible Tuesday--or was it a tragic Thursday?--I appreciated that you were different. To have the sympathy and approval of a woman-soul like you----” He interrupted with a laugh at himself. “But there, I’ll leave that ‘lonely,’ ‘misunderstood’ old plea for the husbands of the world to tell other men’s wives. The truth is, you have convinced me that I’ve missed a whole lot. Much as I despise weaknesses, I have come to feel that one would be a luxury. Dolores, I want to love you.” “But I don’t want you to.” She stepped back from him. “And I want you,” he continued imperturbably, “to want to love me. I could have made you do so long ago, just as your hypnotic osteopath could have done, but I’d not be satisfied with that brand. Come, give the devil his due!” All she gave him was silence. He watched her while continuing. “In the close relationship which I propose, you’ll have greater opportunity to quip my curiosity and compel my admiration. Should I tire of you our community of interests will bind me to you much as earthlings are bound in that state called--Fairest fiend, I ask you to become my queen.” “_No!_” Dolores was dismayed beyond all discretion. She tried to throw off the clutch which he laid upon her arm.