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each her！ Don't you try to hold me； you dog！ I'll show you； too； you bruteoh〃
〃Pick up that woman；〃 called Cowperwood； firmly； to Sohlberg and the butler； who had entered。 〃Get her out of here quick！ My wife has gone crazy。 Get her out of here； I tell you！ This woman doesn't know what she's doing。 Take her out and get a doctor。 What sort of a hell's melee is this； anyway？〃
〃Oh；〃 moaned Rita； who was torn and fainting； almost unconscious from sheer terror。
〃I'll kill her！〃 screamed Aileen。 〃I'll murder her！ I'll murder you too； you dog！ Oh〃she began striking at him〃I'll teach you how to run around with other women； you dog； you brute！〃
Cowperwood merely gripped her hands and shook her vigorously； forcefully。
〃What the devil has got into you； anyway； you fool？〃 he said to her； bitterly； as they carried Rita out。 〃What are you trying to do； anywaymurder her？ Do you want the police to come in here？ Stop your screaming and behave yourself； or I'll shove a handkerchief in your mouth！ Stop； I tell you！ Stop！ Do you hear me？ This is enough； you fool！〃 He clapped his hand over her mouth； pressing it tight and forcing her back against him。 He shook her brutally； angrily。 He was very strong。 〃Now will you stop；〃 he insisted； 〃or do you want me to choke you quiet？ I will； if you don't。 You're out of your mind。 Stop； I tell you！ So this is the way you carry on when things don't go to suit you？〃 She was sobbing； struggling； moaning； half screaming； quite beside herself。
〃Oh； you crazy fool！〃 he said； swinging her round； and with an effort getting out a handkerchief； which he forced over her face and in her mouth。 〃There；〃 he said； relievedly； 〃now will you shut up？〃 holding her tight in an iron grip； he let her struggle and turn； quite ready to put an end to her breathing if necessary。
Now that he had conquered her； he continued to hold her tightly； stooping beside her on one knee； listening and meditating。 Hers was surely a terrible passion。 From some points of view he could not blame her。 Great was her provocation； great her love。 He knew her disposition well enough to have anticipated something of this sort。 Yet the wretchedness； shame； scandal of the terrible affair upset his customary equilibrium。 To think any one should give way to such a storm as this！ To think that Aileen should do it！ To think that Rita should have been so mistreated！ It was not at all unlikely that she was seriously injured； marred for life possibly even killed。 The horror of that！ The ensuing storm of public rage！ A trial！ His whole career gone up in one terrific explosion of woe； anger； death！ Great God！
He called the butler to him by a nod of his head； when the latter； who had gone out with Rita； hurried back。
〃How is she？〃 he asked； desperately。 〃Seriously hurt？〃
〃No； sir； I think not。 I believe she's just fainted。 She'll be all right in a little while； sir。 Can I be of any service； sir？〃
Ordinarily Cowperwood would have smiled at such a scene。 Now he was cold； sober。
〃Not now；〃 he replied； with a sigh of relief； still holding Aileen firmly。 〃Go out and close the door。 Call a doctor。 Wait in the hall。 When he comes； call me。〃
Aileen； conscious of things being done for Rita； of sympathy being extended to her； tried to get up； to scream again； but she couldn't； her lord and master held her in an ugly hold。 When the door was closed he said again： 〃Now； Aileen； will you hush？ Will you let me get up and talk to you； or must we stay here all night？ Do you want me to drop you forever after to…night？ I understand all about this； but I am in control now； and I am going to stay so。 You will come to your senses and be reasonable； or I will leave you to…morrow as sure as I am here。〃 His voice rang convincingly。 〃Now； shall we talk sensibly； or will you go on making a fool of yourselfdisgracing me； disgracing the house； making yourself and myself the laughing…stock of the servants； the neighborhood； the city？ This is a fine showing you've made to…day。 Good God！ A fine showing； indeed！ A brawl in this house； a fight！ I thought you had better sensemore self…respectreally I did。 You have seriously jeopardized my chances here in Chicago。 You have seriously injured and possibly killed a woman。 You could even be hanged for that。 Do you hear me？〃
〃Oh； let them hang me；〃 groaned Aileen。 〃I want to die。〃
He took away his hand from her mouth； loosened his grip upon her arms； and let her get to her feet。 She was still torrential； impetuous； ready to upbraid him； but once standing she was confronted by him； cold； commanding； fixing her with a fishy eye。 He wore a look now she had never seen on his face beforea hard； wintry； dynamic flare； which no one but his commercial enemies； and only those occasionally； had seen。
〃Now stop！〃 he exclaimed。 〃Not one more word！ Not one！ Do you hear me？〃
She wavered； quailed； gave way。 All the fury of her tempestuous soul fell； as the sea falls under a lapse of wind。 She had had it in heart； on her lips； to cry again； 〃You dog！ you brute！〃 and a hundred other terrible； useless things； but somehow； under the pressure of his gaze； the hardness of his heart； the words on her lips died away。 She looked at him uncertainly for a moment； then； turning； she threw herself on the bed near by； clutched her cheeks and mouth and eyes； and； rocking back and forth in an agony of woe； she began to sob：
〃Oh； my God！ my God！ My heart！ My life！ I want to die！ I want to die！〃
Standing there watching her； there suddenly came to Cowperwood a keen sense of her soul hurt； her heart hurt； and he was moved。
〃Aileen；〃 he said； after a moment or two； coming over and touching her quite gently； 〃Aileen！ Don't cry so。 I haven't left you yet。 Your life isn't utterly ruined。 Don't cry。 This is bad business； but perhaps it is not without remedy。 Come now； pull yourself together； Aileen！〃
For answer she merely rocked and moaned； uncontrolled and uncontrollable。
Being anxious about conditions elsewhere； he turned and stepped out into the hall。 He must make some show for the benefit of the doctor and the servants； he must look after Rita； and offer some sort of passing explanation to Sohlherg。
〃Here；〃 he called to a passing servant； 〃shut that door and watch it。 If Mrs。 Cowperwood comes out call me instantly。〃
Chapter XIX
〃Hell Hath No Fury〃
Rita was not dead by any meansonly seriously bruised； scratched； and choked。 Her scalp was cut in one place。 Aileen had repeatedly beaten her head on the floor； and this might have resulted seriously if Cowperwood had not entered as quickly as he had。 Sohlberg for the momentfor some little time； in factwas under the impression that Aileen had truly lost her mind； had suddenly gone crazy； and that those shameless charges he had heard her making were the emanations of a disordered brain。 Nevertheless the things she had said haunted him。 He was in a bad state himselfalmost a subject for the doctor。 His lips were bluish； his cheeks blanched。 Rita had been carried into an adjoining bedroom and laid upon a bed； cold water； ointments； a bottle of arnica had been procured； and when Cowperwood appeared she was conscious a