She had him at bay. "But you are
great," he said, "great! It is an awful stake--awful. Yet if you win,
you'll have what money can't buy. And listen to me. We'll make the
stake bigger. It will give it point, too, in another way. If you keep
Jim sober for four years from the day of your marriage, on the last day
of that four years I'll put in your hands for you and him, or for your
child--if you have one--five millions of dollars. I am a man of my word.
While Jim drinks I won't take him back; he's disinherited. I'll give him
nothing now or hereafter. Save him for four years,--if he can do that he
will do all, and there's five millions as sure as the sun's in heaven.
Amen and amen."
He opened the door. There was a strange soft light in her eyes as she
came to go.
"Aren't you going to kiss me?" she said, looking at him whimsically.
He was disconcerted. She did not wait, but reached up and kissed him on
the cheek. "Good-by," she said with a smile. "We'll win the stake.
Good-by."
An instant, and she was gone. He shut the door, then turned and looked
in a mirror on the wall.
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