Jane turned and faced him. Her very lips seemed withered: "I have given you the money."
"I want you."
Van Ness waited smiling, without a word after that, his white hands held out.
"Come, my pretty!" whispered the old woman, stroking her arm soothingly. "Suppose you don't like him so much at first? You'll grow into it. Hundreds of women marry without love. You must give up to the law."
The law, the whole world, were against her.
Van Ness came closer, step by step, with the inexorable steadiness of Fate in his eye. Mrs. Glenn drew back and left them alone.
"You married me."
"I wanted to give you the money. There was my mistake."
"You cannot repair it. There is no one to help you."
She looked out at the bare peaks and the sky near at hand, and raised her arms, clasping her hands back of her head. Her lips moved. "God will help me," Van Ness thought he heard her say.