She stood up and pushed the stool aside. Her shoulder came up against him.

In a moment he seized her arm and held her in a pa.s.sionate embrace.

"Hilary!"

"Angela. It's got to be to-night--or never. I've waited until I can wait no longer. I'll call for you in an hour's time, and we can catch the midnight train----"

She tried to push him away, but he clung on desperately.

"It's impossible!" she cried. "Please let me go."

"Angela----"

Meredith suddenly stopped. His arms fell to his side. Standing just inside the door was Jim Conlan. Angela turned and saw him too--a great grim figure, with head thrust forward and hands on hips.

"How did you get here?" she demanded.

"Your powdered monkey outside got obstinate. Said you weren't at home.

Seems as though he made some error."

He came down the room and planted himself opposite Meredith. He raised one arm and pointed to the door.

"Get out!" he snapped.

Meredith looked at Angela. He would have been glad to get out just then, but he wasn't anxious for Angela to be conscious of that desire.

"Did you get me?--get out!"

Meredith fidgeted. Then to his horror Angela said slowly:

"I beg that you will stay, Mr. Meredith."

The latter began to retreat to the settee. But he never got there. He felt a hand of steel grip him by the shoulder, and looked round to find a pair of infuriated eyes blazing down on him.

"You ain't wanted here, you dirty tinhorn!" yelled Jim. He ran him to the door, opened it, and then shot him into the pa.s.sage. When he came back Angela was standing exactly in the same place. Her face was white with indignation.

"How dare you--you brute!" she said. "I'll have you put out!"

"Sit down!" thundered Jim.

It was the first time he had ever addressed her in that way and she felt decidedly uncomfortable. She dropped leisurely on to a chair.

"Now then, listen! I've got my wind back agin. Oh, I ain't going to start--recriminations--_some_ word, that! It's plain business between me and you. In the first place, we're broke. Did you git that?"

"What!"

"Stoney--clean bust. Wal, money never did cut much ice with me, but it did with you. You've squandered a h.e.l.l of a lot of money on things that didn't matter, and now here's old man Ruin come to say How-do."

Angela regarded him in astonishment.

"You mean to say--you've lost all your money?"

"Oh no. I only lost some of it. You lost the other. Don't talk. I don't suppose you have any notion of what you've spent in less than six months.

Anyway, it's done, and squealing won't help matters.... I jest came to tell you to pack up. Me and you's going to make some more money."

She jumped up.

"What are you talking about?"

"You will pack a box or two with things that are essential for a trip to Alaska."

"Alaska!"

"Jest that. We're joining the stampede--you and me. I'll call for you to-morrow morning at ten. Stampedes don't allow for no waste time. First come first served."

She suddenly burst into laughter. The whole thing was so ridiculous. He imagined she was going to accompany him into the frozen wastes of Alaska to dig gold. It was excruciatingly funny. But when she looked again at him she didn't feel like repeating the laugh. She had never seen such fixity of purpose in any man's expression. He seemed to have added more inches to his colossal height.

"You must be mad!" she said. "I'm sorry you have lost the money, but----"

"You'll be ready at ten o'clock to-morrow."

She saw he was in deadly earnest, but believed he was overreaching himself.

"At any rate, let us talk sense," she said coldly.

"You'll find I'm talking sense all right. I'm through with any other kind of talk," he replied. "I'm making the Klond.y.k.e. Ain't it natural for a man to take his wife with him--even though she's only a bought wife?"

"You talk as though I might be fool enough to come. Understand, once and for all, I refuse to go anywhere with you. Please leave me."

He took up his hat.

"I'll be round to-morrow. Get them bags packed, or you'll come without them."

"You are not in Colorado now," she said icily. "You can't abduct women by force in London."

"I guess you'll find I can," he replied. "Good-night!"

After he had gone she sat down and thought the matter over. The financial catastrophe appalled her. She had grown so used to a life of luxury. And the threat? It seemed fantastic, impossible of fulfillment. Never in her life had she been coerced by force. There was one way out--Meredith's way.

But she could not bring herself to take that course. Meredith had never succeeded in arousing the slightest pa.s.sion within her. He had been merely a plaything--a simpering, compliment-throwing nincomp.o.o.p of a type that most society women felt a need for, as food for their vanity. She decided that the most sensible plan would be to spend the next day with her people.

Jim arrived at ten o'clock precisely, in a cab, with a single bag of luggage. The footman, who had already suffered once at Jim's hands, tremblingly vouchsafed the news that Mrs. Conlan was out.

"Where's she gone?"

He didn't know. She went out very early and had said she might not return that day.

"Tell her maid to get some clothes packed up for her mistress--strong ones. Have 'em ready in an hour."

The man stared.