Mrs. Musgrave," he said. "And it's something
so particularly beastly that I funk saying it. We have always been
such pals, you and I, and that makes it all the harder."

He broke off, his shrewd glance flashing over her, keen and elusive as
a rapier. Daisy faced him quite fully and fearlessly. The possibility
of a conflict in this quarter had occurred to her before. She would
not shirk it, but she was determined that it should be as brief as
possible.

"Being pals doesn't entitle you to go trespassing, Nick," she said.

"I know that," said Nick, speaking very rapidly. "None better. But
I am not thinking of you only, though I hate to make you angry. Mrs.
Musgrave--Daisy--I want to ask you, and you can't refuse to answer.
What are you doing? What are you going to do?"

"I don't know what you mean," she said, speaking coldly. "And anyhow
I can't stop to listen to you. I haven't time. I think you had better
go."

"You must listen," Nick said. She caught the grim note of
determination in his voice, and was aware of the whole force of his
personality flung suddenly against her. "Daisy," he said, "you are to
look upon me as Will's representative. I am the nearest friend he has.
Have you thought of him at all lately, stewing in those hellish Plains
for your sake? He's such a faithful chap, you know. Can't you go back
to him soon? Isn't it--forgive me--isn't it a bit shabby to play
this sort of game when there's a fellow like that waiting for you and
fretting his very heart out because you don't go?"

He stopped--his lips twitching with the vigour of his appeal. And
Daisy realised that he would have to be told the simple truth. He
would not be satisfied with less.

Very pale but quite calm, she braced herself to tell him. "I am afraid
you are pleading a lost cause," she said, her words quiet and very
distinct. "I am never going back to him."

"Never!" Nick moved sharply drawing close to her. "Never?" he said
again; then with abrupt vehemence, "Daisy, you don't mean that! You
didn't say it!"

She drew back slightly from him, but her answer was perfectly steady,
rigidly determined. "I have said it, Nick. And I meant it. You had
better go. You will do no good by staying to argue. I know all
that you can possibly say, and it makes no difference to me. I have
chosen."

"What have you chosen?" he demanded.

For an instant she hesitated. There was something almost fierce in his
manner, something she had never encountere