I would
settle a hundred thousand on you, and make you a handsome allowance--a
thousand a week--more if you wanted it."
"Well!" Lilian Rosenberg said after a slight pause, during which
Kelson had again seized her hand and was kissing it convulsively, "to
quote one of your Americanisms--I reckon I'll fix up with you. On one
condition, however."
"And that," Kelson murmured, still kissing her feverishly.
"That we marry a week to-day!"
Kelson dropped her hand as if he had been shot. "We can't!" he cried.
"The Compact!"
"Oh, damn the Compact!" Lilian Rosenberg said coolly. "You marry me
then--or not at all!"
"You are joking--you know what the Compact means!"
"I know what you think it means. For my own part I don't see that you
have the slightest reason to fear. The Unknown cannot really harm you.
All you have to do is to turn religious. Anyhow you must risk it--that
is to say, if you want me."
"It will lead to a quarrel with Hamar," Kelson said desperately. "The
Firm will dissolve--and I shan't get a cent more money."
"I'll be content with what you have in the bank now. We can live on
the interest of fifty thousand. The hundred thousand you will, of
course, settle on me at once."
He was silent. She taunted him, she ridiculed him; she at last lost
her temper with him--whereupon he succumbed. The marriage should take
place at a registry office within the week.
"There'll be no time for a trousseau!" he said.
Pages:
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348