Part 10 (2/2)

Underwood did not speak. Words seemed to fail him. His face was set and white. A nervous twitching about the mouth showed the terrible mental strain which the man was under. In the excitement he had forgotten about Howard's presence on the divan behind the screen. A listener might have detected the heavy breathing of the sleeper, but even Alicia herself was too preoccupied to notice it. Underwood extended his arms pleadingly:

”Alicia--for the sake of Auld Lang Syne!”

”Auld Lang Syne,” she retorted. ”I want to forget the past. The old memories are distasteful. My only object in coming here to-night was to make the situation plain to you and to ask you to promise me not to--carry out your threat to kill yourself. Why should you kill yourself? Only cowards do that. Because you are in trouble? That is the coward's way out. Leave New York. Go where you are not known. You are still young. Begin life over again, somewhere else.” Advancing toward him, she went on: ”If you will do this I will help you. I never want to see you again, but I'll try not to think of you unkindly. But you must promise me solemnly not to make any attempt against your life.”

”I promise nothing,” muttered Underwood doggedly.

”But you must,” she insisted. ”It would be a terrible crime, not only against yourself, but against others. You must give me your word.”

Underwood shook his head.

”I promise nothing.”

”But you must,” persisted Alicia. ”I won't stir from here until I have your promise.”

He looked at her curiously.

”If my life has no interest for you, why should you care?” he asked.

There was a note of scorn in his voice which aroused his visitor's wrath. Crumpling up his letter in her hand, she confronted him angrily.

”Shall I tell you why I care?” she cried. ”Because you accuse me in this letter of being the cause of your death--I, who have been your friend in spite of your dishonesty. Oh! it's despicable, contemptible! Above all, it's a lie----”

Underwood shrugged his shoulders. Cynically he replied:

”So it wasn't so much concern for me as for yourself that brought you here.”

Alicia's eyes flashed as she answered:

”Yes, I wished to spare myself this indignity--the shame of being a.s.sociated in any way with a suicide. I was afraid you meant what you said.”

”Afraid,” interrupted Underwood bitterly, ”that some of the scandal might reach as far as the aristocratic Mrs. Howard Jeffries, Sr.!”

Her face flushed with anger, Alicia paced up and down the room. The man's taunts stung her to the quick. In a way, she felt that he was right. She ought to have guessed his character long ago and had nothing to do with him. He seemed desperate enough to do anything, yet she doubted if he had the courage to kill himself. She thought she would try more conciliatory methods, so, stopping short, she said more gently:

”You know how my husband has suffered through the wretched marriage of his only son. You know how deeply we both feel this disgrace, and yet you would add----”

Underwood laughed mockingly.

”Why should I consider your husband's feelings?” he cried. ”He didn't consider mine when he married you.” Suddenly bending forward, every nerve tense, he continued hoa.r.s.ely: ”Alicia, I tell you I'm desperate.

I'm hemmed in on all sides by creditors. You know what your friends.h.i.+p--your patronage means? If you drop me now, your friends will follow--they're a lot of sheep led by you--and when my creditors hear of me they'll be down on me like a flock of wolves. I'm not able to make a settlement. Prison stares me in the face.”

Glancing around at the handsome furnis.h.i.+ngs, Alicia replied carelessly:

”I'm not responsible for your wrongdoing. I want to protect my friends.

If they are a lot of sheep as you say, that is precisely why I should warn them. They have implicit confidence in me. You have borrowed their money, cheated them at cards, stolen from them. Your acquaintance with me has given them the opportunity. But now I've found you out. I refuse any longer to sacrifice my friends, my self-respect, my sense of decency.” Angrily she continued: ”You thought you could bluff me. You've adopted this coward's way of forcing me to receive you against my will.

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