"Let me in and I will tell you," responded the woman outside, in a voice the more menacing because of its control.
"My mother is not at home to-night. She is over at the widow Babinot's. If you go over there you will find her."
"It is you I wish to see. Open the door!"
There was no answer. Sabine turned the knob and entered. At the sight of her the blonde girl gave a cry of dismay and retreated behind the table, trembling.
"What do you want?" she gasped.
"We have an account to settle together, you and me," said Sabine, with something like a laugh.
"Account?" said the other, bracing herself, but scarcely able to articulate. "What account? I have not done you any harm. Before God I have not done you any harm."
Sabine laughed mockingly. "So you think there is no harm in taking away from me the man I was going to marry?"
"I did not take him away," said Tina, faintly.
"You did! You did take him away!" cried Sabine, fiercely. "He was mine; it was last March he promised to marry me; any one can tell you that. I have witnesses. I have letters. Everything I tell you can be proved. He belongs to me just as much as if we had been before a priest already; and if you think you can take him away from me, you will find out you are wrong!"