"Allen will tell you. I wrote to him to call and see me. When he comes you shall speak to him in my presence, and from his own lips you shall hear that he can never be your husband."
"Until then I decline to consider the engagement as broken," said Dora, very pale, but firm. "I am not going to be your dupe, Mr. Edermont. I shall force you to explain."
"I--I forbid you to--to speak to me like this!" cried Edermont, shrinking back.
"I shall speak as I choose--I am tired of your selfish tyranny; and if Allen does not make me his wife, I shall go out into the world to earn my own living. At least I have enough to live on."
"Enough to live on?" he replied slowly. "Perhaps yes, perhaps no."
"What do you mean, sir?" she demanded imperiously.
A crafty smile played over the face of Mr. Edermont, and he shrugged his shoulders.
"Wait till Allen comes: then you may learn more than you care to listen to. Now go to bed. By the way, what about your toothache?"
"Toothache?"
"Joad said something about it," was Edermont's impatient remark; "you told him that toothache kept you awake at night."