almost
at the same time. But she can't be given up. No!"

As she looked at him she saw the red gleam of the torch he carried. Hers
had long ago died out into blackness.

"Is it possible that you really wish to ruin my reputation?"

"Not a bit of it! You're so clever that you can always guard against
that."

"Yes, I can when I'm dealing with gentlemen," she said, with sudden,
vicious sharpness. "But you are behaving like a cad. Of all the men I--"

She stopped. A sort of nervous fury possessed her. It had nearly driven
her to make a false step. And yet--would it be a false step? As she
paused, looking at Dion, marking the hard obstinacy in his eyes, feeling
the hard, hot grip of his hand, it occurred to her that perhaps she had
blundered upon the one way out, the way of escape. Amid the wreckage of
his beliefs she knew that Dion still held to one belief, which had been
shaken once, but which her cool adroitness had saved and made firm in a
critical moment. If she destroyed it now would he let her go? Just how
low had he fallen through her? She wished she knew. But she did not
know, and she waited, looking at him.

"Go on!" he said. "Of all the men you--what?"

"How low down is he? How low down?" she asked herself.

"Can you go on?" he said harshly.

"Of all the men who have cared for me you are the only man who has ever
dared to interfere with my freedom," she said.

Her voice had become almost raucous, and a faint dull red strangely
discolored and altered her face.

"I will not permit it. I shall go to Buyukderer, and I forbid you to
follow me there. Now it's getting late and I'm tired. Please go away."

"Men who have cared for you!"

"Yes. Yes."

"What d'you mean by that? D'you mean Brayfield?"

"Yes."

"Have there been many others who have cared as Brayfield did?"

"Yes."

"Hadi Bey was one of them, I suppose?"

"Yes."

"And Dumeny was another?"

"Yes."

"Poor fellows!"

His lips were smiling, but his eyes looked dreadfully intent and
searching.

"You made them suffer and gave them no reward. I can see you doing it
and enjoying it."

"That's untrue."

"What is untrue?"

"To say that I gave them no reward."

At this moment there was a tap on the door.

"Come in!" said Mrs. Clarke, in her ordinary voice.

Sonia opened the door and came in.

"Excuse me, Madame," she said, "but you told me I was to bathe your
hand. If it is not bathed it will look horrible to-morrow. I have the