"Do not go!" he almost commanded. She was half way to the door.
"Why not, sir?" She wheeled on him fiercely.
"Because,--at least, you would not be so cruel--"
"I thank you, but I am leaving the boat at the first opportunity.
It is impossible for us to continue an acquaintance formed thus
irregularly."
"On the contrary, my dear!" The ring in his voice terrified her,
but his terms angered her yet more.
"I do not in the least understand you, sir! I am accustomed to do
quite as I like. And you may address me as the Countess St. Auban."
"Why should we talk of this?" he retorted. "Why talk to me of
countesses? To me you are something better as you stand,--the most
beautiful girl, the most splendid human being, I ever saw in all my
life. If you are doing quite as you like, why should you ask me to
come to your aid? And why will you not now accept my aid when it
is offered? The relations under which you have been traveling with
this other gentleman were not quite clear to me, but such as they
were--"
"Do you lack courage, sir, to say that he has quit-claimed me to
you? Am I still a prisoner? Are you to be my new jailer? By what
right, then?"
Dunwody had not gathered all the story of this woman and her
earlier guardian; more than she herself could guess what had been
Carlisle's motive or plan in leaving her to her own devices.
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