"
She clutched the whip in her white but powerful hand till it quivered
in the air, impatient for a victim.
"Oh!" she cried, panting, and struggling with her passion, "if I wasn't
a child of God, I'd--"
"You'd give me a devilish good hiding," said Vandeleur, demurely.
"That I _would,"_ said she, very earnestly.
"You forget that I never told you I was mad. How could I imagine you
would hear it? How could I dream you would come, even if you did?"
"I should be no Christian if I didn't come."
"But I mean we parted bad friends, you know."
"Yes, Van; but when I asked you for the gray horse you sent me a new
sidesaddle. A woman does not forget those little things. You were a
gentleman, though a child of Belial."
Vandeleur bowed most deferentially, as much as to say, "In both those
matters you are the highest authority earth contains."
"So come," said she, "here is plenty of writing-paper. Now tell me all
your debts, and I will put them down."
"What is the use? At a shilling in the pound, six hundred will pay them
all."
"Are you sure?"
"As sure as that I am not going to rob you of the money."
"Oh, I only mean to lend it you."
"That alters the case."
"Prodigiously." And she smiled satirically. "Now your friend's address,
that is treating with your creditors.
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