Page:The fifth wheel (1916).djvu/94

76 Edith appeared in the hall in her nightdress.

"What are you after?" she asked.

For answer I held out the box toward her. She came down two or three of the stairs.

"What you going to do with it?" she demanded.

"Give it back to Breck."

She grasped my wrist. "You little fool!" she exclaimed.

"But he wants me to run off with him. He wants me to elope."

"He does!" she ejaculated, her eyes large. "Well?" she inquired.

I stared up at Edith on the step above me in silence.

"Well?" she repeated.

"You don't mean" I began.

"His mother is sure to come around in time. They always do. My mother eloped," she said.

"Edith Campbell Vars," I exclaimed, "do you actually mean" I stopped. Even in the dim light of the hall I saw her flush before my blank astonishment. "Do you mean"

"Well, if you don't," she interrupted in defense, "everybody will think he threw you over. You'll simply become an old glove. There's not much choice."

"But my pride, my own self-respect! Edith Vars, you'd sell your soul for society; and you'd sell me