“You said, if you could be sure I spoke in earnest. Now you admit you are sure. What then?”
She let her eyes rest on him a moment, without speaking, as he looked ardently and expectantly up at her from his kneeling attitude, while she took in breath, and then she flung her answer at him.
“What then? This! That you are now more contemptible and ridiculous and utterly non-existent, to me, than you have formerly been! That, whatever I may have done which seemed in your behalf, was partly from the strange insanity of which I have spoken, and partly from the most meaningless caprice! That, if you remain here till to-morrow, you may see me in the arms of the man I really love, and that he may not be as careless of the fate of a vagabond rebel as I am. And now, Captain Crayton, or Dayton, or Peyton, or whatever you please, of somebody or other’s light horse, go or stay, as you choose; you’re as welcome as any other casual passer-by, for all the comical figure your impudence has made you cut! Learn modesty, sir, and you 235 may fare better in your next love-making, if you do not aim too high! And that piece of advice is the reward I hinted at! Good night!”
And she whirled from the room, slamming behind her the mahogany door, at which Peyton stared for some seconds, in blank amazement, too overwhelmed to speak or move or breathe or think.
But gradually he came to life, slowly rose, stood for a moment thoughtful, fashioned his brows into a frown, drew his lips back hard, and muttered through his closed teeth:
“I’ll stay and fight that man, at least!”
And he sat down by the table, to wait.