ited States intervention and protection of the leases of its
citizens, yours in particular?"

"You are mad!" he cried hoarsely, but she would not be silenced.

"What did you pay in pesos for that slaughter? What will you yet be
called upon to pay in vengeance by those who were spared? Don't be too
confident of success in your bargaining, Mr. Wiley, until the final
reckoning!"

For a moment there was silence, then with an obvious effort he laughed
harshly.

"You are disposed to be highly melodramatic, my dear Billie, but
unfortunately your attitude is without justification. No such
interview as you describe took place. I suppose it is useless for me
to assure you of this, but it must have existed solely in the
imagination of your informant--if you had such an informant! I will
leave you now, but I beg that you will reflect upon the bargain I have
offered you. Wild accusations will not serve to turn the point at
issue, and for your own sake I advise you to think well. Au revoir!"

He bent to the saddle in a mocking obeisance and his horse leaped
forward beneath the touch of the spurs.

Willa watched until he had disappeared between the leafless trees, then
slowly moved off down a side-path.

She had warned him now. Her cards were on the table and he knew the
strength of the hand she held against him. But what of his own? To
what length would he, could he go in the contest which from that moment
would be to the death between them? What did his vague threat mean?

CHAPTER XIV

THE KNIGHT ERRANT ONCE MORE

"We'll be late," Angie observed as she and Willa waited in the
drawing-room for the rest of the family. It was the first remark she
had voluntarily addressed to her cousin since she had come upon the
tete-a-tete in the library. "Not that I care, of course, these dinners
are always stupid, but the Erskines are so horribly particular. I've
heard that the Bishop was late once and they went in without him."

Willa smiled.

"I wonder who will be there?"

"The same old crowd, I suppose," Angie shrugged. "For heaven's sake,
Willa, if they send you in again with Harrington Chase, don't
monopolize him as you did at the Wadleighs'. It's horribly bad form; I
wonder that mother didn't tell you."

"Did I monopolize him? I wasn't conscious of it," Willa said
reflectively. "He interests me."

"Evidently!" Angie sneered. "So do a few others, I imagine, but you
shouldn't show it so plainly. I a