"
"Either what you say is false," said she evenly, "or you are
betraying the confidence of a friend who trusted in your honor."
"Oh, he said it, all right. You know how he is about confidences."
"No matter."
Margaret rose slowly, a gradual lifting of her long, supple
figure. Grant watching, wondered why he had never before realized
that the sensuous charm of her beauty was irresistible. "Where
were my eyes?" he asked himself. "She's beyond any of the women
I've wasted so much time on."
She was saying with quiet deliberateness: "A few days ago, Grant,
I'd have jumped at your offer--to be perfectly frank. Why
shouldn't I be frank! I'm sick of cowardly pretenses and lies. I
purpose henceforth to be myself--almost." A look within and a
slightly derisive smile. "Almost. I shall hesitate and trifle no
longer. I shall marry your friend Craig."
"You'll do nothing of the kind," raged Arkwright. "If you make it
necessary I'll tell him why you're marrying him."
"You may do as you like about that," replied she. "He'll probably
understand why you are trying to break off our engagement."
"You're very confident of your power over him," taunted he.
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