Wesley was now certain that he must not stick at promises.
"Surely."
"Then sit tight. I don't know as much about O'Malley as I pretended out there in the hall, but I do know about Miss Rose. I don't know whether O'Malley is goin' to double-cross you or not, but I do know that Miss Rose has given you the double-cross already."
She had thought that passion played a large part in his relations with her mistress, and she had counted upon awakening his jealousy. What, however, had far exceeded his affection was a poor pride of possession, and when Violet's words, in addition to touching his ambition, struck at that pride, they aroused an anger that was far more dangerous than any sense of love betrayed.
"What's that?" he demanded.
Two red beacons flashed into his pale checks, and his heavy lids, shooting upward for a single instant, disclosed hard, gray eyes gone hot and malevolent.
"Be careful. Speak low, I tell you," she cautioned; "and remember your promise."
"I don't believe——"
"Here's Cassie!"
They waited while the black opened the champagne and filled the glasses.