There
was no use in his playing lover any longer--he had no desire to do
so--for even he now so clearly recognized the mercenary spirit which
might have brought her to his arms, that such manhood as he had
revolted at it. If she had given him her hand it would have been
secured purely through a financial trick, and even his Wall Street
soul experienced a revulsion of disgust at the thought of a wife thus
obtained. If he could have detected a little sentiment toward him,
some kindly regret that she could not reward his long-continued and
unstinted devotion, he would have parted from her more in sorrow than
in anger; but now he knew that she was wild to escape from him, that
she would instantly break her promise not to accept Muir before the
close of the week, and, to his punctilious business mind, the week did
not end until twelve o'clock Saturday night.
With a sort of grim vindictiveness he had muttered, "She shall keep
her promise. Neither she nor Muir shall be happy till my time has
expired."
Later in the evening, Graydon not returning, the thought occurred
to Arnault, "Perhaps he too has recognized the sharp game she has
played--perhaps Henry Muir has said to him, 'She has been putting you
off to see the result of the sudden calling in of Arnault's loan,'
and now young Muir proposes to console himself with that handsome Miss
Alden;" and a gleam of pleasure at the prospect illumined his face
for a moment.
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