are not good for you."

"And you have dared to take them away?" she said.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I had no choice."

"No choice!" She echoed the words in a voice that vibrated very
strangely. "You speak as if--as if--you had a right to confiscate my
property."

"I have a right to confiscate that sort," said Max.

"What right?" She flung the question like a challenge, and as she flung
it she straightened herself in sudden splendid defiance. All the pallor
had gone from her face. She glowed with fierce, pulsing life.

Max remained looking at her. There was a glint of mercilessness in his
eyes. "What right?" he repeated slowly. "If you saw a blind man walking
over a precipice, would you say you hadn't the right to stop him?"

"I am not blind!" she flung back at him. "And I refuse to be stopped by
you--or anyone!"

Max raised his red brows. "You amaze me," he said. "Then you are aware
of the precipice?"

She clenched her hands. "I know what I am doing--yes! And I can guide
myself. I refuse to be guided by you!"

"Violet!" Nervously Olga interposed. "Never mind now, dear! Do sit down
and have some breakfast! The eggs are getting cold."

"Quite so," said Nick, putting down his letters abruptly. "The coffee
also. Olga, you may tear up all my correspondence. It's nothing but
bills. Miss Campion, wouldn't you like to butter some toast for me? You
do it better than anyone I know. And I'm deuced hungry."

She turned away half-mechanically, met his smile of cheery effrontery,
and suddenly flashed him a smile in return.

"What a gross flatterer you are!" she said "Allegro, aren't you
jealous? Which piece of toast do you fancy, Nick? Can I cut up some ham
for you as well?"

The tension was over and Olga breathed again. Max continued his
breakfast with an inscrutable countenance, finished it, and departed to
the surgery.

Violet did not so much as glance up at his departure. She was wrangling
with Nick over the best means of attacking a boiled egg with one hand.

There was no longer the faintest hint of tragedy in her demeanour. Yet
Olga went about her own duties with a heart like lead. She was beginning
to understand Max's attitude at last; and it filled her with misgiving.

CHAPTER XVI

SECRETS

The rest of that day was passed in so ordinary a fashion that Olga found
herself wondering now and then if she could by any chance have dreamed
the events of the night.

During the whole of the morning