"None will be necessary, I think. The fact itself will be enough."
"And never—marry him?"
"And never marry him."
"You think he would not follow?"
"I know he would not!"
There was a pause in the swift passage of words. The girl's breath was coming with difficulty. The spell of this indomitable rancher was settling upon her.
"You really imagine I will do such an unheard-of thing?" she asked slowly.
"I imagine nothing," he answered quickly. "I know."
It was the crisis, and into it Mollie intruded with clumsy tread. "Florence," she urged, "Florence, don't listen to him any longer. He must be intoxicated. Come with me!" and she started to drag the girl away.
Without a word, Ben Blair walked across to the door leading into the room beyond, and stood with his hand on the knob.