``The people think so,'' said he. ``And that's the important
thing.''

``Well--you owe him nothing,'' pursued she.

``Nothing that would interfere with the cause,'' replied he.
``And that would be true, no matter what he had done.''

``I mean he did nothing for you,'' she explained. ``I forgot to
tell you yesterday. The whole thing was simply a move to further
his ambition. I happened to be there when he talked with father
and enlisted him.''

Victor laughed. ``It was your father who put it through. I
might have known!''

``At first I tried to interpose. Then--I stopped.'' She stood
before him with eyes down. ``It came to me that for my own sake
it would be better that you should lose this fall. It seemed to
me that if you won you would be farther out of my reach.'' She
paused, went steadily on: ``It was a bad feeling I had that you
must not get anything except with my help. Do you understand?''

``Perfectly,'' said he cheerfully. ``You are your father's own
daughter.''

``I love power,'' said she. ``And so do you. Only, being a
woman, I'd stoop to things to get it, that a man--at least your
sort of man--would scorn. Do you despise me for that? You