it's our duty--your duty and my duty to
save Rachel all the unhappiness we can, and still more to save Roddy.
Remember the position he's in."

Breton sprang to his feet. "Look here, Chris, I should have told you of
all this long ago. I didn't know that you had heard. I wish to God I had
spoken to you. But as Heaven is my witness, Rachel is a saint. I'm a
miserable cur--a misery to myself and a misery to everyone else. But
she----"

"You've been fools, the couple of you," he answered sternly. "It's no
use cursing now. I won't go and urge Rachel to tell Roddy--she must do
that of her own free will--All our hands are tied. It depends upon the
steps that Roddy takes, and after all the old lady may never have told
him. But I've warned you, Frank. It's up to you to do the right thing."

"What do you want me to do?" asked Breton.

"I don't know what you can do. You must see for yourself--only, Frank,"
here Christopher's voice became softer, "by all our old friendship and
by any affection that you may have left for me, I do conjure you to play
fair by Rachel and her husband. Rachel is very, very young. Roddy is
helpless----"

"That's enough," Breton cried. "My God, Christopher, of you could
realize the weeks I've been having you wouldn't think, perhaps, so badly
of me. It's been more, I swear, than any mortal flesh can endure. I'm
driven, driven--I'm at the end.... But she's safe from me, safe now and
safe forever. And that now that old woman should step in--now."

Christopher came and again put his arm on Breton's shoulder and held
him up, it might seem, with more than physical strength.

His affection for Breton was an affection sprung from his very knowledge
of the man's weaknesses. He had in him that British quality of ruthless
condemnation for the sinner whom he did not know and sentimental
weakness for the sinner whom he did. He had seen Francis Breton through
a thousand scrapes, he would see him, doubtless, through a thousand
more.

"We'll say no more now, old boy--You look done up--I won't worry you,
but if you want me here I am and I promise not to lecture. Only you owe
me some confidence, you do indeed."

Breton got up and stood there, with his hand pressed to
his forehead. "What you've told me," he said. "I must do
something ... something ... it's all been my fault. If they should
touch her----"

Then, turning to Christopher, he said: "You _are_ the only friend I've
got, and I know it. I do value it--on