So far they had been speaking like mere acquaintances, but now Kirk turned upon her a trifle bitterly. "I think you worked it very cleverly, Mrs. Cortlandt," he said. "Of course, I had no chance to win against a person of your diplomatic gifts. I had my nerve to try." She regarded him without offence at this candor, then nodded. "Yes. You see, it meant more to me than to you or to her. With you two it is but a romance forgotten in a night. I have pretty nearly outlived romance." "You think I will forget easily? That's not flattering." "All men do. You will even forget my part in the affair, and we will be better friends than ever." "Suppose I don't choose to accept what it pleases people to hand me?" "My dear Kirk!" She smiled. "You will have to in this case. There is nothing else to do." He shook his head. "I hoped we could be friends, Mrs. Cortlandt, but it seems we can't be." At this she broke out, imperiously, her eyes flashing. "I ask nothing you can't give. I have never been denied, and I won't be denied now. You can't afford to break with me." "Indeed! Why do you think that?" "Listen! I've shown you what I can do in a few months. In a year you can be a great success. That's how big men are made; they know the short-cuts. You are too inexperienced yet to know what success and power mean, but you are beginning to learn, and when you have learned you will thank me for breaking up this foolish romance. I don't ask you to forget your manhood. I ask nothing. I am content to wait. You want to become a big man like your father. Well, Runnels will be out of the way soon; Blakeley amounts to nothing. You will be the Superintendent." "So! That's not merely a rumor about Blakeley? Runnels is fired, eh?" "Yes." "If I choose not to give up Chiq--Miss Garavel, then what? It means the end of me here, is that it?" "If you 'choose'! Why, my dear, you have no choice whatever in the matter. It is practically closed. You can do nothing--although, if you really intend to make trouble, I shall walk inside when I leave and inform the old gentleman, in which case he will probably send the girl home at once, and take very good care to give you no further opportunity. Ramon is only too anxious to marry her. As to this being the end of you here, well, I really don't see how it could be otherwise. No Kirk, it's for you to decide whether you wish to be shown the secret path up the mountain or to scale the cliffs unaided. There are no conditions. You merely mustn't play the fool." "And if I don't agree you will tell Mr. Garavel that I'm going to make trouble?" He mused aloud, watching her out of the corner of his eye. She said nothing, so he went on cautiously, sparring for time. "Well, inasmuch as this seems to be a plain business proposition, suppose I think it over. When it comes time for our next dance, I'll say yes or no." "As you please." "Very well. The music has stopped; we'd better go in."