life," Barrington answered.

"Jeanne St. Clair's life is in my hands, too," said Latour, slowly. "You
would do something to save her?"

"Anything in the world. Save her, Latour, and though you send me to the
gallows I will bless you."

Latour bit his lip a little. He wanted to hate this man who had come
between him and his desires. He was convinced that he had done so,
convinced that but for this American, Jeanne St. Clair would have
listened to him. His worth against Bruslart's infamy must have appealed
to her, had this man not come into her world.

"I know the truth," he said slowly, "I have had it from mademoiselle
herself. I spoke of my love, as a man must speak when the whole passion
of his life is let loose. She could never love me, she said. Why?
Because she loves you. I have threatened her to no purpose. I threatened
to sacrifice you unless she consented. It was of no avail. She swore
that you did not fear death, that you would willingly die for her."

"She spoke only the truth," said Barrington.

"Yet you can save her," Latour returned. "You are the only man who can.
You shall go to her and plead with her for me. For her sake I will
desert France, go anywhere, do anything she wills. She must be mine or,
for God's sake, do not make me even whisper the alternative."

"Be honest. Let me know the alternative."

"She shall die. There you have it. You may make your choice."

"And I thought you loved her," said Barrington, slowly.

"I cannot bandy phrases with you," Latour answered passionately. "You
are a man as I am, there is something in us that is alike, I think.
Debate such questions with yourself and you will find an answer."

"I have said that I am willing to die for her," answered Barrington.

"Go a step further than that," returned Latour. "Help another man to
possess her."

"You are not prepared to make that sacrifice," said Barrington. "She
must be yours or she must die. I thought Raymond Latour was too good a
man for such villainy."

"Phrases! phrases! I want none of them. I want your help, the help you
promised. I fulfilled my part of the bargain, although it was not
mademoiselle I rescued; I expect you to fulfill yours."

"In this thing she must choose, Latour. My love is such that to make her
happy I would willingly sacrifice myself were it to die for her, or
harder still, live out my life away from her, forgotten by her. If it is
only the thought of me which holds her back from what ma