“You villain!” The girl was in tears too. Gordon was beyond weeping. “But why can’t you leave him?” Diana’s voice was low and vibrant. “Are you married?” The slow smile that dawned on the sad face told its own black story. “That kinder man doesn’t marry,” said Heloise quietly. The basilisk glare of Diana’s eyes turned to Gordon, dumb and motionless. “But he shall!” she said slowly. Heloise went swiftly past her and fell on her knees at Gordon’s feet. He did not even attempt to draw his hands away when she clutched them. This nightmare would pass--he was sure of that. Monstrous things like this did not happen in a well-ordered world. He had only to keep quiet and calm and presently Trenter’s voice would say: “Eight o’clock, sir; I’m afraid it is raining.” Trenter always apologised for the weather. And he would open his eyes.... Through the haze of his dream came the moaning sound of Heloise pleading. “Dan, you heard what the good young lady said. Marry me, Dan--won’t you marry me?” Gordon smiled foolishly. To Diana it was devilish. “Make me like I was when you took me from my li’l Connecticut home,” sobbed Heloise. Not for nothing had she played a small town tour with that masterpiece _Rich Men and Poor Women_. “Don’t you see it, Dan? The old farm an’ the old cows comin’ along the boardwalk, an’ can’t you hear the cracked bell of the chapel, an’ don’t you remember my old mother sittin’ right there on the porch read’n’ the good old Book? Make it come back again, Dan.” Her voice rose to a thin, agonized wail. For a second Gordon returned to near normal. “What do you mean by this tomfoolery?” he squeaked, trying to disengage his hand. “Man!” Diana was unconscious of the plagiarism. “Be careful!” He shook his head. “I tell you----” “You shall marry her!” “I--I can’t--I won’t.... I’ll see you all to the devil.” Heloise cowered under the stroke of fate. “You promised me, Dan! You promised me! You’re not going back on your word? Dan, say it ain’t true--it’s not true, Dan?” It was terrible, thought Diana, her heart broken by the woman’s woe. “You don’t mean it, Dan, do you? It’s only your joking way?” Gordon showed his teeth in a fiendish grimace. “Ah, I can see you smiling. I can see the li’l twinkle in your eye! We’ll quit this business like this pretty young lady says an’ shake the whole outfit, won’t we, Dan? And I’ll be just your li’l wife sittin’ on the back porch, whilst you’re mixin’ the hen-feed in the garden.” “Damn the hen-feed!” he yelled. “Curse you and your back porch! I won’t marry you. Diana, can’t you see that she’s a fake? She’s acting! I’m nothing to her!” “He spurns me,” groaned Heloise, and fell prostrate to the floor. Instantly Diana was beside her and had raised the bowed head. “Come with me, my dear. Appeal is wasted on a man like that. Ah, you can laugh!” “I’m not laughing,” said Gordon indignantly. “What the devil is there to laugh at? If I laughed at anybody I would laugh at you, you ... you booby!”