y afternoon. I came back from my
walk--there was a nail in my boot. I heard every word from the window in
my room."

"You listened?"

"Yes, I listened."

"Romer, my dear fellow, I swear to you that ..."

"Don't swear anything to me," said Romer quietly. "And don't dare to
defend Valentia to me.... I advise you not."

Harry was silent, utterly bewildered.

"I find that your----friendship, instead of being a pleasure to her, is
making her miserable. For some reason she likes to have you about. She
doesn't wish you to marry Miss Walmer. Well, you shan't! Do you hear
that? You shan't! You're not going to marry that girl and then come
dangling about again."

He waited a minute and then said--

"Valentia's got to be happy. You're not going to have everything _you_
want. You can surely make a little sacrifice to be her friend!" Then for
one moment only Romer nearly lost his control. He said--

"We've been married five years, and I've never said a word or done a
thing that she didn't like. And _you_ made her cry. You! You made her
cry!"

"My dear Romer, I assure you it's all ..."

Romer interrupted him in a low voice, impatiently.

"Oh, shut up, will you? I want no talk or discussion. I want only one
thing. You're to write immediately, definitely putting an end to this
engagement. While you write the letter I'll wait, and then I'll post it
myself. Will you do it?"

"My dear fellow, of course I'll do anything. But how strange you are! I
should have thought----"

"I don't want to know what you would have thought, and I don't care a
straw what you think of my attitude. On condition you do what I say, I
shall never refer to the subject again, and everything shall be as it
has been."

Harry was obviously greatly relieved.

"I will do whatever you wish," he said, looking and feeling ashamed of
himself.

Seeing that Romer was evidently in a hurry for the letter, he drew
writing materials to him.

Then Romer said--

"One more thing. You are not to tell Valentia anything about this. She's
not to know I overheard. I won't have her distressed. Remember that."

"I give you my word of honour," said Harry.

"Very well. And when I've posted the letter we'll wipe out the whole
thing. Don't even say you saw me in town."

"Of course I won't."

As Harry bent his head low over the writing-table, Romer, who was
sitting motionless, looked at a curious dagger that was hanging on the
wall, with a horrible sudden longin