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As Rokoff closed his appeal, awaiting the reply he invited, the look of surprise
upon Jane Clayton's face turned to one of disgust. She fairly shuddered in the
fellow's face.
"I would not have been surprised, M. Rokoff," she said, "had you attempted to
force me to submit to your evil desires, but that you should be so fatuous as to
believe that I, wife of John Clayton, would come to you willingly, even to save my
life, I should never have imagined. I have known you for a scoundrel, M. Rokoff;
but until now I had not taken you for a fool."
Rokoff's eyes narrowed, and the red of mortification flushed out the pallor of his
face. He took a step toward the girl, threateningly.
"
We shall see who is the fool at last," he hissed, "when I have broken you to my
will and your plebeian Yankee stubbornness has cost you all that you hold dear--
even the life of your baby--for, by the bones of St. Peter, I'll forego all that I had
planned for the brat and cut its heart out before your very eyes. You'll learn what
it means to insult Nikolas Rokoff."
Jane Clayton turned wearily away.
"
What is the use," she said, "of expatiating upon the depths to which your
vengeful nature can sink? You cannot move me either by threats or deeds. My
baby cannot judge yet for himself, but I, his mother, can foresee that should it
have been given him to survive to man's estate he would willingly sacrifice his life
for the honour of his mother. Love him as I do, I would not purchase his life at
such a price. Did I, he would execrate my memory to the day of his death."
Rokoff was now thoroughly angered because of his failure to reduce the girl to
terror. He felt only hate for her, but it had come to his diseased mind that if he
could force her to accede to his demands as the price of her life and her child's,
the cup of his revenge would be filled to brimming when he could flaunt the wife
of Lord Greystoke in the capitals of Europe as his mistress.
Again he stepped closer to her. His evil face was convulsed with rage and desire.
Like a wild beast he sprang upon her, and with his strong fingers at her throat
forced her backward upon the berth.
At the same instant the door of the cabin opened noisily. Rokoff leaped to his
feet, and, turning, faced the Swede cook.
Into the fellow's usually foxy eyes had come an expression of utter stupidity. His
lower jaw drooped in vacuous harmony. He busied himself in arranging Lady
Greystoke's meal upon the tiny table at one side of her cabin.
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