"You cannot take it? Why not?" His voice was desperate. "I cannot accept such a valuable gift, dear." "Not from me?" "Especially not from you." "Oh my God, are you going to be conventional, Anne?" "You should not be the one to accuse me of that, Alexis!" She had risen and they were staring at each other angrily. "If you loved me, you'd take it!" "You don't understand," she said more gently. "I should feel as if I had lost caste. And besides, you ought not to afford it. Dearest, can't you see I don't want to be an expense, or drag on you in any way?" "Expense! Drag! If you were my wife you'd take it, wouldn't you?" "That is a different story." "Well, it's not my fault you are not, is it? I wish to heaven you were. Then I could be sure of you. This incompleteness is killing me." He flung himself face downwards upon the sofa. "Alexis, be reasonable!" "I wish I were dead! You have never loved me. All you have ever given me was in pity. If you cared for me, you'd take my gift and wear it." An expression of abnegation upon her face, she stooped and picked up the bracelet from where he had flung it on the rug between them. "Alexis, look. See? It is on!" "Anne, you darling!" He sprang to his feet, and catching her in his arms, carried her to the sofa. "Be careful. You will hurt yourself," she cried breathlessly. "Remember, I am as tall as you are." His arms about her, he laughed crazily. "Ah, but you are light, light as a moonbeam, and as luminous. Light as my heart!" With a gesture, maternal in its compassion, she wound her arms about his neck, and drawing his face down to hers, offered him her mouth. Teeth pressed against the fruit-like flesh, he ran his lips along her chin and bare shoulder. "Anne, I am hungry and thirsty for you!" With a sigh of relinquishment, she relaxed in his arms. A bell pealed derisively through the house. Alexis sprung to his feet with an impatient exclamation. Anne sat up hastily and smoothed her hair with nervous fingers. "What is it?" "The door bell." He was pale from the sudden recoil. "But does any one know you are here? Who can it be at this hour?" "God knows." Their eyes met in sudden confusion, a sweet secret shame, then scattered self-consciously. Came a discreet knock on the door, and Jules entered. "Excuse it, Monsieur, but zere is a lady who desires to speak to Monsieur." His air of apology was comical. "Did she say who she was?" Alexis' voice was elaborately careless. "Yes, Monsieur. She say she good friend of Monsieur. 'Er name ees Miss Ellen Barnes. Er automobile is--vot you call it--stalled in ze snow." Alexis nodded briefly. "Very well, Jules. Tell her I will be right down. You may go." The little man trotted out hastily. "Ellen!" Alexis' expression was murderous. "She has been on our trail ever since you had her to tea with us before I left New York!" Anne's hand went to her mouth. "She must not see me!"