And there the lovers parted. The lawyer was full of anger, but he had no chance at that time to show it.
CHAPTER XV. THE LOVERS CLASH.
Among the guests were Horatio Nugent and Paul Strogoff, each madly, devotedly and passionately, at a distance, watching the Goddess, at whose shrine they worshiped. The preacher, in a rage of despair; Paul, in secret consciousness of his advantage over all others, despite appearances. Each held his secret well before the world, but in the breast of each was a raging volcano, liable to burst forth at any minute. Had any one suspected the preacher of the possession of so strange a secret passion, his story would have been discovered by the hungry, famished look of his eye, which followed the sculptress and her every movement. Strange to relate, Paul exhibited more control over himself.
Fate threw these two strongly-contrasted characters together, the flint and the steel. Horatio Nugent plunged at Paul boldly and fiercely, saying: “I would study you.”
“Why?” asked Paul.
“Because you hold a secret power I would give my life to know.”
“And that is?”
“The power of winning her regard.”
“I would not yield it up for a thousand lives, mine included,” said Paul.