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In the end she again persuaded him to return to his chamber, but he did not leave the house--neither could he rest Every word the girl had said of his selfishness, his egotism, burned like poison in his brain Had his hold on her been so slight, after all? "She despises me She hates me!" And in his heart he despised and hated himself He cursed his poverty, his lack of resource "Why ael of this faith, dependent on others for revelation Why e for e of this flood of indignant query when Pratt shuffled into his roouess you better--"

Clarke turned, the glare of madness in his eyes "Curse you and your reporters! Go away from me! I don't want to be bothered by you nor by them"

Pratt stared in dull surprise, which turned slowly to anger "What's the matter with you now?" he roared "Damn you, anyway You've upsetalong nicely till you got this bug of a big speech into your head, and then everything in my life turns topsy-turvy To hell with you and your book! You can't use ht now I see your sche hi, like those of a boar about to charge, all his concealed dislike, his jealousy of the preacher's growing fa rapidly into hate "I don't knohy you're eatingas I aade preacher, a dead-beat, and a hypocrite Get out before I kick you out!"

This brought the o," he said, defiantly, "but I'll take your psychic with ether"

"Go and be damned to the whole tribe of ye!" retorted Pratt, purple with fury "Go, and I'll publish you for a set o' leeches--that's what I'll do," and with this threat he turned on his heel and went out, leaving Clarke stupefied, blinded by the force of his imprecations

The situation had taken another turn for the worse To leave the house of his oas bad enough; to be kicked out by his host, and to be followed by his curse was desolating "And yet this I could endure if only she would speak to o with me"