nothing. You do not really need to know. We can be
happy -- we can love each other just the same. Oh,
please, please, believe me!"

Her words fairly drove him wild. He tore his hands
loose, and flung her off. "Answer me," he cried. "God
damn it, I say -- answer me!"

She sank down upon the floor, beginning to cry again.
It was like listening to the moan of a damned soul, and
Jurgis could not stand it. He smote his fist upon the
table by his side, and shouted again at her, "Answer
me!"

She began to scream aloud, her voice like the voice
of some wild beast: "Ah! Ah! I can't! I can't do
it!"

"Why can't you do it?" he shouted.

"I don't know how!"

He sprang and caught her by the arm, lifting her up,
and glaring into her face. "Tell me where you were last
night!" he panted. "Quick, out with it!"

Then she began to whisper, one word at a time: "I --
was in -- a house -- down-town--"

"What house? What do you mean?"

She tried to hide her eyes away, but he held her. "Miss
Henderson's house," she gasped.

He did not understand at first. "Miss Henderson's
house," he echoed. And then suddenly, as in an explo~
sion, the horrible truth burst over him, and he reeled
and staggered back with a scream. He caught himself
against the wall, and put his hand to his forehead, star~
ing about him, and whispering, "Jesus! Jesus!"

An instant later he leaped at her, as she lay groveling
at his feet. He seized her by the throat. "Tell me!"
he gasped, hoarsely. "Quick! Who took you to that
place?"

She tried to get away, making him furious; he thought
it was fear, or the pain of his clutch -- he did not under~
stand that it was the agony of her shame. Still she an~
swered him, "Connor."

"Connor," he gasped. "Who is Connor?"

[[178]]

p177 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p178w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p179

v?