"Stoop! What do you mean, stoop? O Lord, I thought, seeing he sets the world by you, that you was different from the run of women and would understand." Jonas twisted his brown hands together.
"Understand what?" asked Diana, her great eyes fastened on Jonas with pity and scorn struggling in them.
"Understand what it means to him. How it's like a conjur that Luigi wished on him when he was a little boy. How he's pulled himself away from it and he didn't have anybody on earth to help him till I come along. What do you women folks know about how a strong man like him fights Satan? I've seen him walk the floor all night and win, and I've seen him after he's given in, suffer sorrow and hate of himself like a man the Almighty's forgot. That's why he's so good, because he sins and then suffers for it."
As Jonas' husky voice subsided, a sudden gleam of tears shone in
Diana's eyes.
"I'll send him a note, Jonas, and wait here for the answer. If that doesn't bring him, I'll go after him myself."
"The note'll bring him," said Jonas, "and he'll give me thunder for telling."
"Let me have a pencil and get me some paper from the news-stand." She wrote rapidly.
"Dear Mr. Huntingdon:
"I must see you at once on urgent business. I am in the railway station. Could you come to me here?