ut he talked--talked like an
anarchist, a man out to fight and smash all the hypocritical institutions
of society. If it hadn't been for me he'd have killed himself in Siberia
where his wife had died a martyr; and it would have been well for him if
he had!

"Because of the wild way he talked when suspicion of fraud was thrown on
him by a partner the fool public believed in his guilt. He died in prison
when I was fifteen, and I swore to punish the beast of a world that had
killed all I loved. I swore I'd make that my life's work, and I have.
But--God!--I've punished myself, too, at last. I'm punished through you,
because I've fallen in love with you, Anita, and for your sake I'd give
the years that may be in front of me--all time but one day to be glad in,
if I could blot out the past!"

"Maybe," the girl faltered, "maybe you're too hard on yourself. I can't
believe that you, who have been so good to me, could have been very bad
to others."

"If I could hope you wouldn't be too hard on me, that's all I care for
now!" he cried, passionately. "You remember my saying that night in the
taxi that the worst I'd ever done was to try and pay back a great wrong,
and take revenge on society? If I could hope you meant what you said
about understanding I'd tell you the story of that revenge."

"I _did_ mean it, Knight. My love will help me to understand."

"You make me believe in a God, for surely only God could have sent such
an angel as you into my life.... In a way, I haven't deceived you about
myself, for I warned you I was a bad man. But when I think of the night
we met and the trick I played on you, it makes me sick! I thought you'd
loathe me if you ever found out. But I didn't intend to let you find out.
It was to be a dead secret forever, like the rest. Yet if I tell you what
my life has been you'll have to know that part, too. If I kept it back
you might think it worse than it was."

"A trick?" echoed Annesley.

"Yes. A trick to interest you--to make you like and want to help me.
Besides, it was to be a test of your courage and presence of mind. If you
hadn't those qualities you'd have been a failure from my point of view.
You see, I hadn't had time to fall in love with you then. And I wanted
you for a 'help-mate' in the literal sense of the word. It seems a pretty
sordid sense, looking back from where we've got to now. But that was my
scheme. A mean, cowardly scheme! And it's thanks to you and your blessed
dearness