is intention of restoring what he had
taken. That, of course, is also out of the question. He will probably
never be in a position to do so. But in any case it is beside the point.
It is useless to discuss it further."

She broke in upon him almost fiercely. "Trevor, won't you believe me when
I say that I know--I know--he is innocent?"

He looked at her. "How do you know it?"

She wrung her hands together. "Oh, I have no proof! Can't you believe me
without proof?"

He was watching her intently. "I believe in your sincerity, of course,"
he said. "But I am afraid I don't share your conviction."

"But you must--you must!" she cried. "I know him better than you do. I
know him to be incapable of the tiniest speck of dishonour. I swear that
he is innocent! I swear it! I swear it!"

He put out a restraining hand. "Chris, don't say any more! You are
only upsetting yourself to no purpose. Come, child, it is useless to go
on--quite useless."

She flung out her arms with a gesture of utter despair. "You won't
believe me?"

He turned to lock up his cheque-book. "I have answered that question
already," he said, without impatience.

She drew near to him. Her blue eyes burned with a feverish light. Her
face was haggard. "Trevor, what would you say if--if--I told you he were
shielding someone--if I told you he were shielding--me?" Her voice sank
upon the word.

He turned sharply round, so sharply that she shrank. But he made no
movement towards her. He only looked full and piercingly into her face.
At the end of ten seconds he spoke, so calmly that his voice sounded
cold.

"I am afraid I shouldn't believe you."

His eyes fell away from her with the words. He dropped his keys into his
pocket and switched off the light from his writing-table.

Chris was shivering again, shivering from head to foot. She could barely
keep her teeth from chattering. He came to her and put his arm round her.

She glanced up at him nervously, but his quiet face told her nothing.
Almost involuntarily she suffered him to lead her from the room.

CHAPTER VI

WHEN LOVE DEMANDS A SACRIFICE

When Chris awoke, the morning sunshine was streaming in through the open
windows, and she was alone. She came back to full remembrance slowly, as
one toiling along a difficult road. Her brain felt very tired. She lay
vaguely listening to the gay trill of a robin on the terrace below,
dreading the moment when the dull ache at her heart should turn t