r. The
child was sleeping soundly.

"Corinna, I love you," whispered Evan.

"_Please!_" she murmured distressfully. "You make it so hard for me!"

He would not remind her of what he had done for her, but he felt that
it would be only decent of her to show some recognition of it. "Is
nothing changed?" he asked.

"Nothing can be changed."

"After all we've been through?"

"I'm deeply grateful to you, but I suppose that's another story, isn't
it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well--would you be satisfied with my gratitude?"

"No!" he said promptly.

"It's all I can give you."

"Corinna, you drive me mad!"

"Ah, don't begin that again. Think of my position. Be generous!"

"You're always appealing to my better feelings," he grumbled. "I tell
you, they won't stand the strain."

So absorbed were they in this little exchange that they did not hear
footsteps approaching down the carpeted saloon. Looking up, they
beheld Dordess approaching with the whole brotherhood at his heels:
Anway, Tenterden, Domville, Burgess, and the blonde youth whose name
Evan never knew.

Corinna flushed up at the sight of them, but it was impossible to say
for sure what her feelings were--mixed, probably. She looked guilty at
being surprised in talk with Evan, and she was certainly angry; angry
at the men, or angry at herself for betraying the blush. Evan, on the
alert for trouble, smiled grimly.

Dordess was no less cynical and bland than usual, but he could not
conceal the angry glitter in his eye. As for the others, they betrayed
their feelings more or less according to their natures; Anway was hard
and composed; Tenterden vicious and truculent; little Domville
apologetic and reproachful, and the other two, youths of no particular
character, merely self-conscious and inclined to bluster.

"May we have a few words with you?" said Dordess to Corinna.

"Certainly," she said stiffly. "What's the matter?"

"I speak for all of us," said Dordess, "to save time. We wish to
convey to Mr. Weir our appreciation of the fine way he acted at the
time of the accident."

Evan was not deceived by these honeyed words. He saw that there was
more to follow. He spoke up. "Not at all. Every one of us did his
darnedest, I'm sure."

Dordess went on: "We willingly grant that he's a fine fellow.
Unfortunately we don't like him any better than we did before. And his
fine conduct does not make it any more possible for us to work with him