"I don't suppose you want to hurt Laura Lou more than you can help—any more than I do," she continued, with an effort at persuasiveness. "And what I'm here for is to ask you to spare her … give her a chance … before it's too late… ." She lifted her hands entreatingly. "For God's sake, Vance, let her go without a fight. It's her chance now, and I mean she shall take it; but if you'll let it be easy for her, I'll let it be easy for you—on my sacred word. Vance … See here; I've got you where I can make my own terms with you … I've got my proofs … I've got the whip hand of as they say … " She broke off, and went on in an altered voice: "But that's not the way I want to talk to you, Vance. I just want to say: Why not recognize it's all been a failure and a mistake from the first, and set my child free before it's too late?"

"Too late for what?"

"For her to get back her health—to enjoy her youth as she ought to… ."

Vance's brain was still so confused with the shock of Mrs. Tarrant's abrupt leave-taking that this fresh assault on his emotions left him dazed. Mrs. Tracy hated him; had always hated him. He had long been carelessly aware of that, and had instantly seen how eagerly she must have caught at this chance of getting the whip hand of him, as she called it; of finding herself justified in all her disappointments and resentments. But he had not suspected that she might have a more practical object in mind, that what she wanted was not to injure him but to free Laura Lou. It was dull of him, no doubt, it was incomprehensible even, that, having lived all his life in a world of painless divorce, where a change of mate was often a mere step in social advancement, it should never have occurred to him that he and Laura Lou could part. But though he had often chafed at the bondage of his unconsidered marriage, though he had long since ceased to think of his wife as the companion of his inner life, and had stooped to subterfuges to escape her fond solicitude … yet now her mother's proposal filled him with speechless wrath. He and Laura Lou divorced! … He turned to Mrs. Tracy. "Are you talking seriously?"

Of course she was, she said. Wouldn't he try and understand her and listen to her, and not get all worked up, and make her so nervous she couldn't get out what she had to say …  ?

"Have to say?" he interrupted. "Who obliges you? You say Laura Lou doesn't know you're here."