Page:Rowland--The closing net.djvu/63

Rh the girls never left me for two days. Because I knew that it was all my fault. I spoiled everything. But," she gave me a burning look, "I never imagined that it could be as bad as this."

"You've never done time in a French penal colony," said I. "This is good enough for me."

Léontine stamped her booted foot.

"Then it's not good enough for me," she cried, in a hot voice. "If you think that I am going to give you up like this, you are mistaken, Frank."

I did not answer. She looked at me and her eyes filled.

"You told me that night that you loved me," she whispered, "and my heart leaped to meet yours. I have never loved a man before, Frank. The minute that our hands touched and I looked into your cold, grey eyes I knew that I had found my mate and my master. You belong to me, Frank, and to my world. Society is our enemy. Why should you go hat in hand and ask to be taken back? Listen, Frank. Find out how much your half-brother paid to get you clear. Then we will pay it back. I am rich, just now. Afterwards, if you like, we will go away"

I raised my hand. "Thank you, my dear," I said gently; "but it can't be done. My word is passed. The money is only a part of the debt. The good faith, the warmth of heart and voluntary good will are things that I can only repay by being worth them—and, so help me, I intend to."

A dark flush came into Léontine's face. She looked at me fixedly for a moment, then began again to trace patterns in the dust. Finally she said: