"You have no warrant whatever for saying or hoping that," answered the girl slowly but decisively.
"Have I not?" asked the man quickly. "Did you not say to me a little while ago that you liked me better than any man you had ever met and that I might win you if I could? Well, I can, and what's more I will in spite of yourself." He laughed. "Why, the memory of that kiss I stole from you makes me mad." He pushed away the things before him and rose to his feet once more. "Come, give me another," he said; "it isn't in the power of woman to stand out against a love like mine."
"Isn't it?"
"No, indeed."
"Louise Newbold did," she answered very quietly, but with the swiftness and the dexterity of a sword thrust by a master hand, a mighty arm.
Armstrong stared at her in open-mouthed astonishment.
"What do you know about Louise Rosser or Newbold?" he asked at last.
"All that I want to know."
"And did that damned hound tell you?"
"If you mean Mr. Newbold, he never mentioned your name, he does not know you exist."