he truth remains.
You didn't love her then. If you had loved her, you must have been
ready--as I was ready--to make the final sacrifice. But you were not
ready. You hung back. You let me take the place which only a man who
cared enough to protect her to the uttermost could have taken. You
let me do this thing, and I did it. I brought her through untouched. I
kept her--night and day I kept her--from harm of any sort. And she has
been my first care ever since. You won't believe this, I daresay, but
it's true. And--mark this well--I will only let her go to the man who
will make her happy. Once I meant to be that man. You don't suppose,
do you, that I brought her safe through hell just for the pleasure of
seeing her marry another fellow? But it's all the same now what I did
it for. I've been knocked out of the running." His eyelids suddenly
quivered as if at a blow. "It doesn't matter to you how. It wasn't
because she fancied any one else. She hadn't begun to think of you
in those days. I let her go, never mind why. I let her go, but she is
still in my keeping, and will be till she is the actual property of
another man--yes, and after that too. I saved her, remember. I won the
right of guardianship over her. So be careful what you do. Marry her
if you love her. But if you don't, leave her alone. She shall be no
man's second best. That I swear."

He ceased abruptly. His yellow face was full of passion. His hand was
clenched upon the sofa-cushion. The whole body of the man seemed to
thrill and quiver with electric force.

And then in a moment it all passed. As at the touching of a spring his
muscles relaxed. The naked passion was veiled again--the old mask of
banter replaced.

He stretched out his hand to the man who had sat in silence and
listened to that one fierce outburst of a force which till then had
contained itself.

"I speak as a fool," he said lightly. "Nothing new for me, you'll say.
But just for my satisfaction--because she hates me so--put your hand
in mine and swear you will seek her happiness before everything else
in the world. I shall never trouble you again after this fashion. I
have spoken."

Blake sat for several seconds without speaking. Then, as if impelled
thereto, he leaned slowly forward and laid his hand in Nick's. He
seemed to have something to say, but it did not come.

Nick waited.

"I swear," Blake said at length.

His voice was low, and he did not attempt to look Nick in the face,
bu