Did he expect her to run after him? She said, very coldly:
"If you go to Jerry's for luncheon with one of your girl friends, and you see me eating alone, keeping bushels of wonderful news all to myself, is that making love to you?"
"No!" he contradicted, flatly. "But I'll do more-- I'll let you tell Mrs. Vandergilt that you own the only engine of destruction available against man's stupidity."
Knowing that he was alluding to her beauty, she said:
"Well, I belong to you, don't I? And if women are to get the vote can't you tell dear Ethel's mother--"
"Do you mean old Mrs. Vandergilt?" she interrupted.
"I will," he meekly promised. "You tell the old lady that you will insure success for the Cause by lending me to her. I've got a scheme that will do more in a month than all the suffragettes have accomplished in fifty years. You might get Ethel interested in my plan--"
"I won't!" She smiled the forgiving smile that infuriates. She lost her head. "You think I am jeal--that I'm--"
"I think not of you, but of myself, and of how I may keep my promise to your father and survive. If you see me, and can talk to me, I shall live honorably. Will you shake hands?" He held out his right hand. She ignored it. He deliberately took hers and led her to a chair. "Will you do what I ask, dear?" he entreated, humbly.
"No!" She stood there, cold, disdainful, refusing everything--even to sit down.
"Then," he said, tensely, "then I must--" He seized her in his arms and kissed her unresponsive lips. "I am not making love to you," he murmured. "I am not!" And he kissed her again. "I promised not to see you; and I won't--not even if you see me."
He released her and was silent. She looked up and saw that his eyes were tightly closed.
"I'll be there," she said, triumphantly, "at one o'clock."
"I am a man of my word!" he said, fiercely.
She did not know that this wifelike attitude thrilled him as not even the kisses had; but he said, earnestly:
"No. I'm going now. It's good-by for a month. For a whole month!"
"Northeast corner table," she said, audibly, as though to herself. "Northeast cor--"
"Play fair!" he urged. "Amuse yourself with Mrs. Vandergilt." He looked at her as though he desired her to occupy herself with some hobby for thirty days. The sight of her face, and nothing else that she could see, made him say, "Good-by!" And he almost ran out of the room.