Magsie had dropped into a chair with her back to him.
"I've made you cross," she said penitently, "and you're punishing me! Was it my seeing Richie, Greg? You know I never cared---"
"Don't take that tone," he said.
Her color flamed again, and she set her little teeth. He saw her breast rise and fall.
"Don't think you can do this, Greg," she said with icy viciousness. "Don't delude yourself! I can punish you, and I will. Alice and George Valentine can fix it all up to suit themselves, but they don't know me! You've said your say now, and I've listened. Very well!"
"Magsie," he said almost pleadingly, interrupting the hard little voice, "can't you see what a mistake it's all been?"
She looked at him with eyes suddenly flooded with tears.
"M-m-mistake to s-s-say we loved each other, Greg?"
The man did not answer. Presently Magsie began to speak in a sad, low tone.
"You can go now if you want to, Greg. I'm not going to try to hold you. But I know you'll come back to me to-morrow, and tell me it was all just the trouble other people tried to make between us--it wasn't really you, the man I love!"