"I don't know what you mean."
"It doesn't matter. Tell me more. You interest me."
"That's good," said Franklin, with a sort of laugh. "After that,—and I dare say this is also news to you,—I drove to town to get advice. The end of it all is that there's only one way in which you and I can bring this farce to an end."
"No, no!" cried Beatrix, with mock horror at the word, "not farce,—comedy, please."
Franklin would have given nearly all he possessed for the pleasure of spanking that young woman until she cried for mercy. As it was, he pitched away his cigarette, waited until the echo of her voice had died away, and faced her up. "Now listen!" he said, sharply, "and if you are capable of it give some consideration to me and my life and to the gravity of my position and yours."
Beatrix waved her hand.
"We've got to go off at once," said Franklin, giving each word its full importance,—"somewhere or other, I don't know where,—and get married."
Beatrix almost jumped out of her skin.
Franklin went on quickly. "For this reason: I saw Sutherland York this morning at the club. It was perfectly obvious that he intends to make you pay fully for something that you did to him. From his manner and his infernal cheek I gathered that he has seen through the whole of this business, and he's going to spread it about that this is a bluff. He knows how to do this sort of thing better than most men, I judge, and it won't be many days before we find scandal rearing its head at us. Therefore, we must become at once what you said we were,—married. I'm sorry, but there's no way out. That over, you will go your way and I mine, and from the moment that we separate I will proceed to do that disgusting thing which the laws make necessary for a man who wishes to be divorced from his wife. You will please be good enough to make your plans to leave here not later than to-morrow. Some other girl must take your part in the pastoral."
