"I cannot tell you."
"You refuse?"
"I must."
"Then farewell. We can meet no more." He turned, and stood with his hand on the door, and with the action the girl's overstrained nerves gave way.
"Oh, no, no, no! Oh, Chester, I have loved you so! Don't—for mercy's sake—don't leave me in anger—when I so need comfort—help—and—p—pity!"
She fell on her knees by the bed, and with her face in her hands, sobbed aloud.
As she did so, a burst of strange, mocking laughter resounded from the adjoining room, and Harding started as if he had been stung.
"It must be!" he hissed, all that was hardest and worst in his nature suddenly possessing him. "After this it would only be torture—to both!" He bent suddenly and kissed—not her lips, no longer pure—but her forehead, once, twice, thrice, passionately, and then fled away into the darkness.