"About what?" he inquired, seeking to fathom her expression in the half light.
"I can't go on this way," she murmured nervously.
"I can't act this way.
You don't know how it all is.
I shouldn't have done what I did this morning.
I mustn't see you any more.
Really I mustn't."
"You didn't do what you did this morning," he remarked, paradoxically, seizing on that one particular expression.
"I did that.
And as for seeing me any more, I'm going to see you."
He seized her hand.
"You don't know me, but I like you.
I'm crazy about you, that's all.
You belong to me.
Now listen.
I'm going to have you.
Are you going to come to me?"
"No, no, no!" she replied in an agonized voice,
"I can't do anything like that, Mr. Kane.
Please listen to me.
It can't be.
You don't know. Oh, you don't know.
I can't do what you want.
I don't want to.
I couldn't, even if I wanted to.
You don't know how things are.
But I don't want to do anything wrong.
I mustn't.
I can't.
I won't.
Oh, no! no!! no!!!
Please let me go home."
He listened to this troubled, feverish outburst with sympathy, with even a little pity.
"What do you mean by you can't?" he asked, curiously.
"Oh, I can't tell you," she replied.
"Please don't ask me.
You oughtn't to know.
But I mustn't see you any more.
It won't do any good."
"But you like me," he retorted.
"Oh yes, yes, I do.
I can't help that.
But you mustn't come near me any more.
Please don't."
He turned his proposition over in his mind with the solemnity of a judge.
He knew that this girl liked him—loved him really, brief as their contact had been.
And he was drawn to her, perhaps not irrevocably, but with exceeding strength.
What prevented her from yielding, especially since she wanted to?
He was curious.
"See here, Jennie," he replied. "I hear what you say.