"And it's what I shall always think!" she cried. "Send for you after last night? Come back to you and these same conditions? Never! Never!"
Once more he softened. He could not forget in a moment's anger what they had been to each other. Appealingly he said:
"Listen to me for just a minute, dear. You don't realize what you are undertaking. You don't know what you propose to do. Please, please don't do anything that is going to bring you so much misery and unhappiness. Think it over a little while and then perhaps—"
"My mind is made up," she said firmly.
Going to her dressing table, she picked up her hat and placed it on her head. Again he tried to dissuade her.
"Dearie!"
"I am quite decided, I tell you," she said firmly, putting on her hat.
"Don't do it, Virginia, don't do it!" he cried. "Remember, if you leave me like this you will have to come to me or it will be—forever."
"Then it will be forever!" she said decisively. "I won't be degraded and humiliated! I won't be told that I was bought and paid for! You've been able to say it up to now, but you'll never be able to say it again!" Pointing to the jewels she added: "There they are! I give them all back to you."
She stopped and suddenly noticed the rings she was wearing. They, also, were a present from him. With a subdued exclamation she muttered: