He opened his lips to utter the words which would have ended everything between them. His eyes met hers and the words slipped back into his throat. The spark of manhood that was left in him revolted against this wanton assault upon the pure soul that looked out upon him. His gaze was lowered. He began fumbling in his pocket for a cigar. "Course not," he said reluctantly. He peered hard at the opaque sidewall uncomfortably conscious of the scornful look she bent upon him. Neither spoke for a long time. "How much lower can you sink?" she asked in low tones. "Don't you turn against me like this," he returned sullenly. "I have endured too long--too long," she said lifelessly. "Now, shut up, Mary. Shut up your trap. I'm sick of having you whining all the time--" "Whining!" she cried. "God in heaven!" "Well, belly-achin', then." Her bitter laugh irritated him. "Say, I got to talk this business over with you. We've got to understand each other." "We _do_ understand each other," she said, a note of decision in her voice. "You are ready to prostitute me for the sake of worming money out of that horrid beast. I loathe him. You know it, and yet you force me to meet him. I am going to end it all. Either he leaves this show, or I do. I will not endure this unspoken but manifest insult a day longer. Do you understand me?" "I'd like to know how you're going to help it," he said, glaring at her with half-restored belligerence. "You can't get out without losin' what you've got in the business, and he _won't_ get out." "Are you going to permit him to continue paying his odious attentions to me--to your wife?" she cried. "I don't care what he does," roared Braddock. "That's his business. You don't have to give in to him, do you? If he thinks you've got a price, that's his lookout, not mine." "Not yours?" she gasped. "Oh, Tom! Tom! What manner of man have you come to be?" "Well, I'm just tellin' you, that's all." "You--you surely are not in your right mind." "You bet I am! Now, you listen to me. You are going to stick right with this show--you and Christine. And you're going to do what I tell you to do. You got to treat Bob Grand half-way decent. He's liable to leave us in the lurch any time. How'd you suppose we'd get on without his help right now? Just as soon as we get on our feet I'll put an end to his funny business. I'll show him what's what. He'll get out of the show business a heap sight wiser man than he is now. But we need him now. We got to stand together, you and me. No flunking, see. We--"