understand--he would
want to kill me and himself and Ivor Dundas, if he knew that Ivor was in
my house last night. He was there too, and I lied to him about Ivor. How
could I expect him to believe the real truth now? He is a man. But _you_
will believe, because you are a woman, like myself, and I think the
woman Ivor Dundas loves."

Her beautiful eyes brightened. "He told you--that?"

"He told me he loved a girl, and was afraid that he would lose her
because of the business which brought him to me. You seem to have been
as unreasonable with him, as Ra--as the man I love could be with me.
Poor Ivor! Last night was not the first time that he sacrificed himself
for chivalry and honour. Yet you blame me! Look to yourself, Miss
Forrest."

"I--I don't blame you," she stammered, a sob in her voice. "Only I beg
you to save him, from gratitude, if not from love."

"It's true I owe him a debt of gratitude, deeper than you know," I
answered. "He is worth trusting--worth saving, at the expense of almost
any sacrifice. But I can't sacrifice the man I love for him."

She looked thoughtful. "You say the man you were engaged to was at your
house while Ivor was there?"

"Yes. He came then. I hid Ivor, and I lied."

"He suspected that someone was with you? He stood watching, outside your
gate?"

"He confessed that, when I'd made him repent his jealousy. Why do you
ask? You saw him?"

"I think so. Tell me, Mademoiselle de Renzie, did he lose anything of
value near your house?"

"Great heavens, yes!" I cried. "What do you know of that?"

"I know--something. Enough, maybe, to help you to find the thing for
him--if you will promise to help Ivor."

"Oh, shame," I cried violently, sick of bargains and promises. "You are
trying to bribe me!"

"Yes, but I am not ashamed," the girl answered, holding her head high.
"I have not the thing which was lost; but I can get it for you--this
very night or to-morrow morning, if you will do what I ask."

"I tell you I cannot," I said. "Not even to get back that thing whose
loss was the beginning of all my misery. Ivor would not wish me to ruin
myself and--another. Mr. Dundas must be saved without me. Please go. If
we talked of this together all night, it could make no difference. And
I'm in great trouble, great trouble of my own."

"Has your trouble anything to do with a document?" Miss Forrest slowly
asked.

I started, and stared at her, breathless.

"It has!" she answered for me. "Y