"If I haven't made it plain, I'll do so."
"Quite clear, thank you," she answered slowly.
Norton walked to the mantel, leaned his elbow on the shelf for a moment, returned and confronted her with his hands thrust into his pockets, his feet wide apart, his whole attitude one of cool defiance.
"Now I want to know what you're up to? These absurd demands are a blind. They haven't fooled me. There's something else in the back of your devilish mind. What is it? I want to know exactly what you mean?"
Cleo laughed a vicious little ripple of amusement:
"Yes, I know you do—but you won't!"
"All right, as you please. A word from you and Helen's life is blasted. A word from you and I withdraw from this campaign, and another will lead it. Speak that word if you dare, and I'll throw you out of this house and your last hold on my life is broken."
"I've thought of that, too," she said with a smile.
"It will be worth the agony I'll endure," he cried, "to know that I'm free of you and breathe God's clean air at last!"
He spoke the words with an earnestness, a deep and bitter sincerity, that was not lost on her keen ears.