Listen: since Larry threw us down, I've taken hold of
things and will soon be ready to spring something big. Just a few days
now and you'll be out of that dirty street, and you'll be in swell
clothes doing swell work--and it will mean the best restaurants,
theaters, swell times!"
The car had turned into the narrow, cobbled street and had paused
before the Duchess's. Suddenly Barney caught her into his arms.
"And, Maggie, you're going to be mine! We'll have a nifty little
place, all right! You know I'm dippy about you....And, Maggie, I don't
even want you to go back in there where Larry Brainard is. Let's drive
back uptown and start in together now! To-night!"
It was not the fact that he had not suggested marriage which stirred
Maggie: men and women in Barney's class lived together, and sometimes
they were married and sometimes they were not. It was something else,
something of which she was not definitely conscious: but she felt no
such momentary thrill, no momentary, dazing surrender, as she had felt
the night when Larry had similarly held her.
"Stop that, Barney!" she gasped. "Let me go!" She struggled fiercely,
and then tore herself free.
"What's wrong with you?" panted Barney. "You're mine, ain't you?"
"You leave me alone! I'm going to get out!"
She had the door open, and was stepping out when he caught her sleeve.
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