Page:The Night Born (London,1913).djvu/41

was too preposterous, the whole thing, and I lied like a gentleman. I told her I was already married.

"'Is your wife waiting for you?' she asked.

"I said yes.

"'And she loves you*?'

"I said yes.

"And that was all. She never pressed her point . . . except once, and then she showed a bit of fire.

"'All I 've got to do,' she said, 'is to give the word, and you don't get away from here. If I give the word, you stay on. . . . But I ain't going to give it. I would n't want you if you did n't want to be wanted . . . and if you did n't want me.'

"She went ahead and outfitted me and started me on my way.

"'It 's a darned shame, stranger,' she said, at parting. 'I like your looks, and I like you. If you ever change your mind, come back.'

"Now there was one thing I wanted to do, and that was to kiss her good-bye, but I did n't know how to go about it nor how she would take it.—I tell you I was half in love with her. But she settled it herself.