suppositions on the drive down from
Southampton had come preposterously and rather ghastly true.

"Well, _listen_ to it! Do you know who the man is now? And will you get
out on the fire-escape, you _fool_?"

Ted listened intently for the space of a dozen seconds. Then "Oh my
God!" he said and his head went into his hands. Oliver crept over to
him.

"Ted, listen--oh listen, damn you! What's the use of acting the
chivalrous fool, _now_? Don't you see? Don't you understand? Don't you
get it that if you leave she can explain it some way or other--that all
you're doing by staying is ruining yourself and Elinor for a point of
honor that hasn't any honor _to_ it?"

"Oh sure. Sure. But listen to him--why great God, Ollie, if he has a gun
he might kill her--probably will--Don't you see it's just because I hate
the whole business now--and her--and myself--th'at I've got to stick it
out? You go, Ollie, it's none of your business--"

"You go. You blessed idiot, there's no use of both of us smashing. If
anybody's got to stay--I can bluff it out a good deal better than you
can--trust me--"

"Oh rats. Not that it isn't very decent of you, Ollie, it is--and you'd
do it--but I wouldn't even be a _person_ to let you--"

They were both on their feet, talking in jerks, ears strained for every
sound from that other room.

"It's _perfectly_ simple--nobody's going to pull any gunplay--good
Lord, imagine poor old Mr. Piper--" said Oliver uncertainly, and then as
noises came to them that meant more than just talking, "_Get down that
fire-escape_!"

"I can't. Let go of me, Ollie. I mustn't Listen--something's
up--something bad! Get out of the way there, Ollie, I've got to go in!
It _isn't_ your funeral!"

"Well, it isn't going to be yours!" said Oliver through shut
teeth--Ted's last remark had, somehow been a little too irritating. He
thought savagely that there was only one way of dealing with completely
honorable fools--Ted shouldn't, by the Lord!---Oliver had gone to just
a little too much trouble in the last dozen hours to build Ted a happy
home to let any of Ted's personal wishes in the matter interrupt him
now. He stepped back with a gesture of defeat but his feet gripped at
the floor like a boxer's and his eyes fixed burningly on the point of
Ted's jaw. Wait a split-second--he wasn't near enough--now--_there_!

His fist landed exactly where he had meant it to and for an instant he
felt as if he had broken all the bones in h