"I was thinking," replied Padway. He did not say that he was thinking, frantically, how to get out of this fix.
"I just remembered," he said slowly, "I have a wife back in America."
"Oh. This is a fine time to think of that," she answered coldly.
"I haven't seen her for a long time."
"Well, then, there's a divorce, isn't there?"
"Not in my religion. We Congregationalists believe there's a special compartment in hell for frying divorced persons."
"Martinus!" Her eyes were a pair of gray blow-torches. "You're afraid. You're trying to back out. No man shall ever do that to me and live to tell—"
"No, no, not at all!" cried Padway. "Nothing of the sort, my dear! I'd wade through rivers of blood to reach your side."
"Hmmm. A very pretty speech, Martinus Paduei. Do you use it on all the girls?"
"I mean it. I'm mad about you."