"But why," demanded he, "can it do any harm for you to give me some reason why you ever thought of telling me this; and just at a time, too, when we were talking of business."
"Because," she answered, thoughtlessly, "it was about business."
A new light came into Stanton's face. His lips subtly changed their expression.
"It must have been a chance to make some money," he said.
She grew deadly pale, but she did not answer him. He searched her face an instant, and then he lifted her in his strong arms, rising from the chair, and seating her in his place. He took a step forward, and stretched out his hand to take the paper she had thrown upon the table. With a cry of terror she sprang up and caught his arm.
"John!" she exclaimed. "Oh, for pity's sake, don't look at it."
He turned and regarded her with a more unkind glance than she had ever seen upon his face.
"Will you tell me?" he asked.
"I can't, I can't!" she answered, half sobbing.
He looked at the paper, and then at his sweetheart. Then with a rough motion he shook off her fingers from his arm, and without a word went abruptly from the room.