"You can give me a few minutes, surely. If you'll step into the reception-room with me for a minute——"
"Bel: I tell you it's too late."
Struggling to keep his temper, Bel caught his underlip between his teeth, while Lucinda cast witlessly about her for some way of escape. None offered. But she noticed that a young man standing nearby was observing them with keen interest, a rather brilliantly good-looking young man, brilliantly well dressed. As Lucinda's glance rested transiently on him, his face brightened with a tentative smile, and she thought he started as if he were impulsively minded to approach. If so, he reconsidered instantly. With a frown she looked back to Bel.
He made a gesture of entreaty. "You can't put me off like this, Linda, when I've come so far, gone through so much——"
"I can because I must, Bel—I will."
"No, by God! you can't and shan't!"
He caught her arm lightly as she tried to pass. She stopped, her face hardening.
"Are you going to make another scene, publicly disgrace me again even when sober?"
His hand dropped to his side. Lucinda began to walk rapidly toward the street entrance, but had taken few steps when Bellamy ranged alongside.
"Linda: you've got to listen to me! There's something I've got to tell you——"