could be of me?"

Agatha's eyes fell. She felt she could not look at him just then, nor
could she answer his question honestly as she almost wished to.

"At least, I am bound to him until he releases me."

"Ah," said Wyllard, "that is what I was most afraid of. All along it
hampered me, and in it you have the reason for my bloodlessness. It is
another reason why I should go away."

"For fear that you should tempt me from my duty?"

The man's expression changed, and there crept into his eyes a gleam of
the passion that she knew he was capable of.

"My dear," he said, "I seem to know that I could make you break faith
with that man. You belong to me. For three years you have been
everywhere with me, but we will let that go. I must go away, and
Gregory will have a clear field, but the probability is in favour of me
coming back again, and then, if he has failed to make the most of it,
I'll enforce my claim."

He turned and seized one of her hands, holding it strongly against her
will.

"That is my last word. At least, you will let me think that when I go
up yonder into the mists and snow I shall take your good wishes for my
success away with me."

She lifted her face, which was flushed, and once more looked him
steadily in the eyes.

"They are yours, most fervently," she said. "It would be intolerable
that you should fail."

He smiled very gravely, and let her hand fall. "After all," he said,
"one can only do what one can."

Then he went out without another glance at her, and not long afterwards
Mrs. Hastings, who was endued with a reasonable measure of curiosity,
found occasion to enter the room.

"You have said something to trouble Harry?" she began.

Agatha contrived to smile. "I'm not sure he's greatly troubled. In
any case, I told him I would not marry him--for the second time."

"He has given up his crazy notion, thee?"

"He never suggested doing that."

Mrs. Hastings made a little sign of compassionate astonishment.

"Oh," she said, "he's mad."

"I believe I told him he was bloodless. At least, that was how he
interpreted what I said."

Mrs. Hastings laughed. "Harry Wyllard bloodless! My dear, can't you
see that the restraint he now and then practises is the sign of a
tremendous vitality? Still, the man's mad. Did he tell you that he
means to leave Gregory in charge of Willow Range?"

Agatha was certainly astonished at this, but Mrs. Hastings nodded.
"It's a fact," she said.