Viviette

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"You can go away quite happy, if you like," said Viviette. "Take me with
you."

"To Vancouver?"

Austin joined them. "It is impossible, dear," said he.

"I go with him to Vancouver," she said.

Dick wrung his hands. "But I daren't marry you, Viviette, I daren't, I
daren't."

"Don't you see that it's impossible, Viviette?" said Austin.

"Why?"

"I've explained it to Dick. He has hinted it to you. You're scarcely old
enough to understand, my dear. It is the risk you run."

"Such men as I can't marry," said Dick loyally. "You don't understand.
Austin is right. The risk is too great."

She laughed in superb contempt.

"The risk? Do you think I'm such a fool as not to understand? Do you
think, after what I've said, that I'm a child? Risk? What is life or
love worth without risk? When a woman loves a fierce man she takes the
risk of his fierceness. It's her joy. I'll take the risk, and it will be
a bond between us."

Austin implored her to listen to reason. She swept his arguments aside.

"God forbid. I'll listen to love," she cried. "And if ever a man wanted
love, it's Dick. Reason! Come, Dick, let us leave this god and goddess
of reason alone. I've got something to say which only you can hear."

She dragged him in a bewildered state of mind to the door, which she
held open. She was absolute mistress of the situation. She motioned to
Dick to precede her, and he obeyed, like a man in a dream. On the
threshold she paused, and flashed defiance at Austin, who appeared to
her splendid scorn but a small, narrow-natured man.

[Illustration: "I want you to love me forever and ever."]

"You can say and think what you like, you two. You are civilised
people--and I suppose you love in a civilised way according to reason.
I'm a primitive woman, and Dick's a primitive man--and, thank God! we
understand each other, and love each other as primitive people do."

She slammed the door, and in another moment was caught in Dick's great
arms.

"What do you want to say that only I can hear?" he asked after a while.

"This," she said. "I want you to love me strongly and fiercely for ever
and ever--and I'll be a great wife to you--and, if I fail--if I am ever
wanton, as I have been to-day--for I have been wanton--and all that has
happened has been my fault--if ever I play fast and loose with your love
again--I want you to kill me. Promise!"

She looked at him with glowing eyes. All the big man's heart melted
into adoring pity. He took her face in both his hands as tenderly as he
would have touched a prize rose bloom.

"Thank God, you're still a child, dear," he said.

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