'1 was — I was trying to get out."

'What for?"

*'I — I — I must get away."

**Well, even so ; is this the way to do it ? I thought
someone was tearing the house down. It woke me up."

"I was goin' this way because — ^because I didn't
want you to know what'd become of me."

**Yes, and have you on my mind."

**! hoped I'd be takin' myself off your mind."

*^f you want to take yourself off my mind there's
a perfectly simple means of doing it."

**I11 do anything — ^but take money."

**ABd taking money is the only thing I ask of you."

'1 can't It'd—it'd— shame me."

"Shame you ? What nonsense !"

She reflected fast. "There's two ways a woman can
take money from a man. The man may love her and
marry her ; or perhaps he don't marry her, but loves her
jtist the same. Then she can take it; but when "

"When she only renders him a — a great serv-
ice

"Ah, but that's just what I didn't do. You said
you wanted me to send you to the devil — ^and now
you ain't a-goin' to go."

He grew excited. "But, good Lord, girl, you don't
expect me to go to the devil just to keep my word
to you.**

"I don't want you to do anything just to keep your
word to me," she returned, fiercely. "I only want you
to tet me get away."

165



THE DUST FLOWER

He came down the remaining step, beginning to
pace back and forth as he always did when approach-
ing the condition he called "going off the hooks."
Letty found him a marvelous figure in his scarlet robe,
and with his mass of diabolic black hair.
