"Vera," he begged, "come with me now!"
The girl withdrew her hand and moved away from him, frowning.
"No," she said, "no, you do not want to understand. I have my
work to do tonight."
Winthrop gave an exclamation of anger.
"You don't mean to tell me," he cried, "that you're going on
with this?"
"Yes," she said, And then in sudden alarm cried: "But not if
you're here! I'll fail if you're here. Promise me, you will not
be here."
"Indeed," cried the man indignantly, "I will not! But I'll be
downstairs when you need me. And," he added warningly, "you'll
need me." "No," said the girl. "No matter what happens, I tell
you, between us, this is the end."
"Then," begged the man, "if this is the end, for God's sake,
Vera, as my last request, do not do it!"
The girl shook her head. "No," she repeated firmly. "I've tried
to get away from it, and each time they've forced me back. Now,
I'll go on with it. I've promised Paul, and the others. And you
heard me promise that woman."
"But you didn't mean that!" protested the man. "She insulted
you; you were angry. You're angry now, piqued -- "
"Mr. Winthrop," interrupted the girl, "today you told me I was
not playing the game. You told the truth. When you said this
was a mean business, you were right. But" -- for the first time
since she had spoken her tones were shaken, uncertain -- "I've
been driven out of every other business." She waited until her
voice was again under control, and then said slowly,
definitely, "and, tonight, I am going to show Mr.
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