led upon him on the instant and held him fast.

"Look here," he said, "I'm in earnest."

"So am I," said Nick.

They faced one another for a moment in open conflict; then
half-contemptuously Max made an appeal.

"Don't let us be fools!" he said. "It's for her sake I want you to go.
I'll tell you why later. If you butt in now, you will make the biggest
mistake of your life."

"Take your hands off me!" said Nick.

He complied. Nick went straight to Olga. "Olga," he said, "for Heaven's
sake, be reasonable! Give him a chance to set things straight!"

It was urgently spoken. His hand, vital and very insistent, closed upon
one of hers, drawing it down from her face.

She looked at him with hunted eyes. "Nick," she said, "tell him--to
go!"

"I can't, dear," he made answer. "You've made an accusation that no man
could take lying down. You'll have to face it out now."

"But it's the truth!" she said.

"It's a damnable lie!" said Nick.

"Nick," it was Max's voice measured and deliberate, "will you leave me
to deal with this?"

Olga's hand turned in Nick's and clung to it. "You needn't go, Nick,"
she said hurriedly.

"Yes, I'm going," said Nick. "You can come to me afterwards if you like.
I shall be in my room."

He squeezed her hand and relinquished it. His yellow face was full of
kindness, but she saw that he would not be persuaded to remain. In
silence she watched him go.

Then slowly, reluctantly, she turned to Max. He was standing watching
her with fixed, implacable eyes.

"Well?" he said, as she looked at him. "Do you really want me to deny
this preposterous story?"

She leaned against the wall, facing him. She felt unutterably tired--as
if she were too weary to take any further interest in anything. Neither
his denial nor Nick's could make the tale untrue.

"It doesn't make much difference," she said drearily.

"Thanks!" said Max shortly.

And then, as if suddenly making up his mind, he came to her and took her
almost roughly by the shoulders.

"Olga," he said, "how dare you believe this thing of me?"

She looked at him and her face quivered. "You have never told me the
truth," she said.

"And so you are ready to believe any calumny," said Max. His hands
pressed upon her; his red brows were drawn together.

At any other moment she would have deemed him formidable, but she was
beyond fear just then.

"If you would only tell me what to believe--" she said.

"And if I won't?" He broke in up