"Your estimate of me by the mass was flattering," she said with gentle satire. "Have you been so busy making this wonderful money of yours that you think it can take the place of everything?" He made an abrupt, almost angered, gesture. "Surely you know money means--has meant--nothing to me!" he exclaimed. "I am rich, yes. I dare say I could buy and sell almost any one you know. But it was never the main thing. It was _winning_ that counted. It was the game, and money was only the counters. I played to win and I have won. And wealth was a stepping-stone to other things." His voice had subtly altered and he drew closer to her where she stood, moveless and straight against the dark foliage, her gaze averted. "Then--I met you! I have known many women, but they have been nothing, less than nothing, to me! Business has been the only thing that really counted. But since I met you, the whole world has been changing for me. Even my work isn't the main thing to me any more. The main thing is _you_!" She lifted her eyes, wide with the swift sense of the unexpected--touched now with an odd, disquieting prescience. His voice was no longer the cold, even voice of the Cameron Craig she had known. There was passion in it. She saw his big hand tremble. "There has never been a day or hour since then when I have not wanted you! You have entered into my blood and my brain, and the want of you has coloured all I have thought and done! If this is love, then I love you--Echo, Echo!" She shrank perceptibly at the name on his lips. "Stop!" she said. "The love you talk of must be mutual. I do not--care for you in that way. I never could!" "That makes no difference to me!" he protested. "I know what I want--I always have. And I want you." "No," she said. "It is not the real _me_ that you want, but we can pass that by. The important fact is that you have offered your last price and the bid is declined." He looked at her with a sudden flash in his eyes. "Do I deserve that?" He had grown pale to the lips. "Yes, you do. I have told you that I should never love you. Yet that means less than nothing to you. You have apparently not considered my possible love as a requisite in the case. It is 'breeding' you want, and beauty--and for that you make your offer. You propose purchase, not exchange, Mr. Craig. Well, I am not for sale!" He flushed to his hair a dark, heavy red. He appeared to be controlling himself by a fierce effort. "Don't answer me now," he said. "Let me speak to you again later." "I have answered you," she replied, "once and for all. You will please consider it final." [Illustration: "I have answered you," she replied, "once and for all. You will please consider it final"] A whirl of what seemed almost rage shook him; with a single stride he reached her and seized both her hands. "Is there--another man?" There was what startled her now in the harsh, hard voice.