Page:"A modern Hercules", the tale of a sculptress (IA amodernherculest00wins).pdf/41

Rh vigorous men. I am a free lance. I sleep all day; work all night. You may have the hope of some day wedding decent, commonplace wives. Just the creatures to be the safe and proper mothers of your children. What matters it, if I, who hate everybody, and whom everybody hates, am swallowed up in the mad vortex of passion? Society loses nothing, and gains a dainty bit of gossip to chew on for a month."

Ouida majestically burst upon them at this juncture.

"So," she cried, "you have been making me the subject of chance. Pray, what excuse dare you offer for such a profane proceeding?"

"And, Ouida, you should have heard of the consolation he offered, as he gloated over his victory."

Without giving the sculptress a chance to ask, Doane quickly said: "I told them, madame, that you would marry neither of them."

"Did you insinuate that it was possible that I might marry you?"

"No, but here, publicly, I proclaim the fact, that my newspaper and I are yours at a moment's notice."

"Yes, your perpetual offer at times grows somewhat wearisome," said Ouida, "but, seriously speaking, Doane, get a law passed which will allow marriage for a limited period, renewable at the option of the parties, and I will try you for a brief period. The thought of being forever tied to one man appals me."

"But," remonstrated Connors, "you forget, dear lady, that sometimes offspring follows marriage."

"Bah," said Ouida, passionately, "they ought to be throttled ere conceived. There are too many carelessly