“Will you answer it?”
“No!”
“No?”
“No!” repeated Virginia, all the fire of her nature roused by the insolent manner of the man who stood lowering before her.
“You do not dare to answer it.”
“It is no business of yours what my motive is,” replied Virginia, proudly.
“You fancy yourself in love with some one. You can not deceive me. Let your lover look to himself. If you can not be my wife, I swear that you shall not be the wife of any other man. You are a beautiful girl, Virginia, but your beauty will be fatal to the mortal that dares to cross my path!” Murdock spoke in heat, and the angry glare of a demon shot from his fierce black eyes.
“If I have a lover, he will be able to defend himself from the coward who only dares to threaten a woman!” And with these words Virginia swept proudly from the room.
“By all the powers of darkness, I swear that I will find means to bend your haughty spirit, and on your knees you will be glad to ask my pardon for those proud words!” cried the baffled lover, his voice hoarse with rage.
Then he left the house by the back door and gained the street. He did not care to meet the eyes of the old General, for he readily guessed that his discomfiture would easily be perceived.