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322 the power to keep me from making a fool of myself!"

"But there's no law to give him the right to keep you a prisoner, is there?"

"Of course not! He merely took a cad's advantage of something I said in a fit of temper."

"What was that?"

She forced her glance to meet mine.

"I said I'd burn the house down, unless I was allowed to do certain things!"

"You merely said this?"

The girl hesitated.

"Well, I may have been—been excited enough to make him believe I was going to do it. But I didn't intend to be bullied."

"I see! Then your cousin clearly doesn't approve of Michael?"

"He doesn't understand him. He doesn't even make an effort to understand him. He keeps saying over and over again that Michael is only an adventurer trying to impose on my ignorance." I knew it would pay me to be as patient as I could. But it wasn't easy.

"Has Mike ever given him any cause to say that?" I inquired.