Page:Magician 1908.djvu/200

 “I want no help. I’m perfectly happy. I have nothing to say to you.”

She spoke hurriedly, with a certain nervousness, and her eyes were fixed anxiously on the door as though she feared that someone would come in.

“I feel that we have much to say to one another,” he insisted. “If it is inconvenient for us to talk here, will you not come and see me?”

“He’d know,” she cried suddenly, as if the words were dragged out of her. “D’you think anything can be hidden from him?”

Arthur glanced at her. He was horrified by the terror that was in her eyes. In the full light of day a change was plain in her expression. Her face was strangely drawn, and pinched, and there was in it a constant look as of a person cowed. Arthur turned away.

“I want you to know that I do not blame you in the least for anything you did. No action of yours can ever lessen my affection for you.”

“Oh, why did you come here? Why do you torture me by saying such things?”

She burst on a sudden into a flood of tears and walked excitedly up and down the room.

“Oh, if you wanted me to be punished for the pain I’ve caused you, you can triumph now. Susie said she hoped I’d suffer all the agony that I’ve made you suffer. If she only knew!”

Margaret gave a hysterical laugh. She flung herself on her knees by Arthur’s side and seized his hands.

“Did she think I didn’t see? My heart bled when