Page:Magician 1908.djvu/161

 She did not see Susie, but knew that a quick look of anguish crossed her face. Margaret drew Arthur towards her. His hands began to tremble. He had never ventured to express the passion that consumed him, and when he kissed her it was with a restraint that was almost brotherly. Now their lips met. Forgetting that anyone else was in the room, he flung his arms around Margaret. She had never kissed him in that way before, and the rapture was intolerable. Her lips were like living fire. He could not take his own away. He forgot everything. All his strength, all his self-control, deserted him. It crossed his mind that at this moment he would willingly die. But the delight of it was so great that he could scarcely withhold a cry of utter agony. At length Susie’s voice reminded him of the world.

“You’d far better go out to dinner instead of behaving like a pair of complete idiots.”

She tried to make her tone as flippant as the words, but her voice was cut by a pang of agony. With a little laugh Margaret withdrew from Arthur’s embrace and lightly looked at her friend. Susie’s brave smile died away as she caught this glance, for there was in it a malicious hatred that startled her. The pain she suffered made all her senses very alert, and she could not mistake the meaning of those scornful eyes. But it was so unexpected that she was terrified. What had she done? She was afraid, dreadfully afraid, that Margaret had divined her secret. Arthur stood as if his senses had left him, quivering still with the extremity of passion.