“Yes, I have.” “What?” she asked. “You!... I have _you_ to lose. And I’m going to make the play of my life for you----” His hideous features altered and a rush of startling colour painted his cheek-bones with two feverish smears: “You listen to me, now, and hold your tongue! I know what you’re up to!” he said in a voice that broke with passion. “I’ve trailed you; I’ve followed you; I’ve kept tabs on you.” “When you’re not playing up to young Annan you’re vamping Albert Smull. Yes, you are! Don’t stall! You go to his fancy apartment alone. You go to Annan’s house. You’ve got ’em both on your string. You’ve got others. Any man who meets you falls for you!----” He flung his chewed, wet cigarette into the fireplace; he was trembling all over. “You may think it’s because you’re making a wad of money that I’m trying to get you back! That’s all right, too; I’m glad you are on easy street. I need money, but not much. “It’s _you_ I want. And whatever you say or think, I _was_ in love with you when I married you. I _had_ to beat it. It drove me almost crazy to leave you. Two years in prison drove me crazier. I’ve been sick. I’m sick now. I’ll get well if you take me back.... And if you won’t----” He came closer, looking intently into her eyes: “If you _won’t_--well, there’s _one_ man who isn’t ever going to get you, Eris.... And his name’s Albert Smull.... And the next time I find him loafing around you, you’d better kiss him good-bye. For, by Jesus, I’ll fix him good!” The girl seated herself on the arm of a chair. Her head was reeling a little, but she kept it high. “How much money do you want?” she asked. “I need that, too. I’ll take twenty-five dollars if you can spare it. And I’d like a cheque with it. You’re making good money: I guess five hundred won’t crimp you.” Her silk reticule still lay on the sofa where she had flung it the night before. She picked it up, took from it the money he required, and handed it to him. Her cheque-book was in her desk. Seating herself she opened it and wrote out the amount he had demanded, blotted the strip of yellow paper, gave it to him. “Now,” she said, “I’ve paid you to keep away from me until I free myself. After that the police can take care of you if you annoy me.” He smiled: “When you consult your attorney you’ll realise that you have no witnesses and no case, little lady.” “I need only one witness,” she said. “Who?” “Any--physician.” Suddenly her white fury was loosened and she took him by his ragged arm and shook him till he stumbled and almost fell. “I tell you this,” she said, her grey eyes blazing, “because you had better understand it in time to save yourself from another term in prison! For if you ever dare contest the action I shall bring with the vile lie you threaten, any witness I call will send you back to a cell,--and your attorney with you! And that’s _that_, damn you!”