.

." "Ah, I shouldn't have thought that!" flashed from Lily; but her laugh dropped to silence under his look.
"No; you wouldn't have thought it; but you'll know better now.

That's what you're here for tonight.

I've been waiting for a quiet time to talk things over, and now I've got it I mean to make you hear me out." His first rush of inarticulate resentment had been followed by a steadiness and concentration of tone more disconcerting to Lily than the excitement preceding it.

For a moment her presence of mind forsook her.
She had more than once been in situations where a quick sword-play of wit had been needful to cover her retreat; but her frightened heart-throbs told her that here such skill would not avail.
To gain time she repeated: "I don't understand what you want." Trenor had pushed a chair between herself and the door.