must not, captain--you shall not speak to my sister that way!" she
commanded.

The doctor stopped between them: "You forget that she is a woman. I
forbid you to--"

"I will, I tell ye, doctor! It's true, and you know it." The captain's
voice now dominated the room.

"That's no reason why you should abuse her. You're too much of a man to
act as you do."

"It's because I'm a man that I do act this way. She's done nothin' but
bring trouble to this town ever since she landed in it from school nigh
twenty year ago. Druv out that dead boy of mine lyin' there, and made a
tramp of him; throwed Archie off on Miss Jane; lied to the man who
married her, and been livin' a lie ever since. And now she wants me to
break my oath! Damn her--"

The doctor laid his hand over the captain's mouth. "Stop! And I mean
it!" His own calm eyes were flashing now. "This is not the place for
talk of this kind. We are in the presence of death, and--"

The captain caught the doctor's wrist and held it like a vice.

"I won't stop. I'll have it out--I've lived all the lies I'm goin' to
live! I told you all this fifteen year ago when I thought Bart was
dead, and you wanted me to keep shut, and I did, and you did, too, and
you ain't never opened your mouth since. That's because you're a
man--all four square sides of ye. You didn't want to hurt Miss Jane,
and no more did I. That's why I passed Archie there in the street;
that's why I turned round and looked after him when I couldn't see
sometimes for the tears in my eyes; and all to save that THING there
that ain't worth savin'! By God, when I think of it I want to tear my
tongue out for keepin' still as long as I have!"

Lucy, who had shrunk back against the wall, now raised her head:

"Coward! Coward!" she muttered.

The captain turned and faced her, his eyes blazing, his rage
uncontrollable:

"Yes, you're a THING, I tell ye!--and I'll say it ag'in. I used to
think it was Bart's fault. Now I know it warn't. It was yours. You
tricked him, damn ye! Do ye hear? Ye tricked him with yer lies and yer
ways. Now they're over--there'll be no more lies--not while I live! I'm
goin' to strip ye to bare poles so's folks 'round here kin see. Git out
of my way--all of ye! Out, I tell ye!"

The doctor had stepped in front of the infuriated man, his back to the
closed door, his open palm upraised.

"I will not, and you shall not!" he cried. "What you are about do to is
ruin--for Lucy, for Jane, and for l