"I have to," retorted Marise. "Since he won't leave us alone, we must just say what we have to say before him, whether he enjoys it or not. He isn't behaving at all according to--to contract. I would have said 'bargain,' only, whenever I mention that, he tells me there _isn't_ a bargain. According to him, I've somehow destroyed it." Severance looked stricken. "Wha--what does he mean by that?" "I don't know. Ask him. We've got about fifteen minutes to have this out, before I'm called." "That's what I'm anxious to do, 'have it out,'" said Garth. "But don't be alarmed, my wife; there'll be no violence started by me. If there is any it will come from the other side, whereupon I shall put the disturber of the peace out of your room. I'm stronger than he is physically, as he knows: and I hope to prove stronger in other ways." "Don't talk like the villain of a Melville melodrama!" blurted Severance. "I don't think _I'm_ the villain of the piece," said Garth calmly. "Anyhow, we won't have more words about this than we need. My wife and you both want me to explain why I say she has made the so-called 'bargain,' nil. I believe, Lord Severance--to put the thing as it is--to face the facts--you proposed hiring me for the sum of a million dollars, to marry Miss Sorel, treat her as a stranger when we were alone, and as a kind husband in company, so there should be no ugly gossip about the marriage. Then, when you were free from the invalid wife you're financially compelled to take, I was supposed to step out of your way by letting this lady quietly divorce me." It was useless to protest against so bald a way of putting the matter, which sounded disgusting to Severance, and could have been thus put, he considered, only by a very temporary gentleman. Therefore he did not protest. He replied with stifled fury that, willingly, even eagerly, Major Garth had consented to play a dummy's part in order to earn an easy million. "Exactly," said Garth. "Well, I _have_ married Miss Sorel. Where's the million?" "You know as well as I do I haven't got the money yet, and can't get it till it's given me, as promised, by my uncle Constantine Ionides, after my wedding." "So you explained the other day. You admit you can't carry out your half of the bargain. Yet I've carried out mine." "That's on your own head!" barked Severance. "If you were so keen on money down, you shouldn't have married Miss Sorel till you could get it." "What--you, an officer in the Guards, would advise a brother officer of the Brigade to refuse to marry a lady if she proposed to him?" "Oh!" cried Marise; and Garth smiled at her with the yellow-grey eyes which were more than ever like the eyes of a lion. "You _did_ propose, didn't you?" "I--said I wanted to be married--to-day," the girl hedged. "If you call that----"