"Here I am!" she cried, stretching out to him her open hands. "I tried to get you to come to my way. You wouldn't come. I've come to your way. Here I am!" This whizzing from one pole to the other was too great a speed for David. "What?" he gasped. "I lied about New Year's night! I took nothing--not a thing! You wouldn't let me. I've acted to you like a devil. You're not a coward. You did not leave me in Allen's house. I saw you waiting behind the palm. I've tried to keep away from you. I didn't want to give in. But I've come! I've give in! I'll be whatever you want me to be, David!--whatever you want me to be!" David was not yet at the other pole. "Whatever I want you to be?" he said dazedly. "Yes! Yes! I'll be honest--be anything!" she answered, breathless. She moved a quick step nearer, and went on in an appealing, breaking voice: "But don't you see, David? Don't you see? I love you! Take me!" David was there. A wave of pain, of self-shame, of infinite regret, swept through him. For a moment, while he tried to get hold of himself, he looked down into the quivering, passionate, tear-lit face; then he took the hands outstretched to him. "Kate," he said imploringly, "I'm so sorry--so sorry! Forget me. I am nobody--nothing." "I love you!" "Think how poor I am, how far down." "I love you!" The low tensity of that iterated cry shamed out of existence all evasive reasons--drove David straight to what he thought his uttermost answer. "Forgive me," he said, sick with loathing of himself. "But you've forced me to say it.... I don't love you." "I love you!" She had paled at his words, and her cry was only a whispered gasp; but her fixed upward gaze, passionate, appealing, mandatory, did not waver an instant. David had but one word left--and that, he had thought, was to be forever unspoken. But it had to be spoken now. After a moment, in which her face seemed to swim before him, he said, huskily: "I love someone else." She drew suddenly back, there was a sharp indrawing of the breath, the face hardened, the eyes above the fur neckpiece gleamed fiercely. "Who?" He shook his head. "Who?" "I cannot say." The eyes narrowed to slits, and she looked him through as on the day she had guessed he was just from prison--only now her intuition was quickened a hundred fold. They stood motionless a few seconds, he trying to parry her instinct; then from her came a low, sharp "A-a-h!" and, after a second, "So it's her!" He shivered. There was another moment of tense silence. Then she said, abruptly: "It's Miss Chambers?" He did not move an eyelash. "You love Miss Chambers!" she announced decisively. Her hands clenched. "I hate her! Why shouldn't she stay in her own world! Why should she come mixing in my affairs! Oh! I could----!" She finished with a tensing of her whole figure. She glared silently at David for a moment; then a harsh, mocking laugh broke from her.