A Prisoner of Love

in that face dominated its surroundings still. What then must have been the power of such a personality in life?

Eric realized that this woman could and would have done whatsoever she willed, unflinchingly and unrelentingly. She could stamp her desire on everything and everybody about her, moulding them to her wish and will, in their own despite and in defiance of all the resistance they might make. Many things in Kilmeny’s upbringing and temperament became clear to him.

“ If that woman had told me I was ugly I should have believed her,” he thought. “ Ay, even though I had a mir- ror to contradict her. I should never have dreamed of disputing or questioning anything she might have said. The strange power in her face is almost un- canny, peering out as it does from a mask of beauty and youthful curves. Pride and stubbornness are its salient characteris- tics. Well, Kilmeny does not at all re-

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