ugged his shoulders.

"I won't threaten," he said, "and I won't offer to bribe you, but I've
got to have that week's grace. We're both men, Francis, who've been
accustomed to our own way, I think. I want to know on what terms you'll
grant it me."

Francis knocked the ash off his cigarette and rose slowly to his feet.

"You want to know," he repeated meditatively, "on what terms I'll hold
my tongue for a week. Well, here's my answer! On no terms at all!"

"You don't mean that," Trent said quietly.

"We shall see," Francis answered grimly. "I'll be frank with you, Trent.
When we came in here you called me your enemy. Well, in a sense you were
right. I distrusted and disliked you from the moment I first met you
in Bekwando village with poor old Monty for a partner, and read the
agreement you had drawn up and the clause about the death of either
making the survivor sole legatee. In a regular fever swamp Monty was
drinking poison like water--and you were watching. That may have seemed
all right to you. To me it was very much like murder. It was my mistrust
of you which made me send men after you both through the bush, and,
sure enough, they found poor Monty abandoned, left to die while you had
hastened off to claim your booty. After that I had adventures enough
of my own for a bit and I lost sight of you until I came across you and
your gang road-making, and I am bound to admit that you saved my life.
That's neither here nor there. I asked about Monty and you told me some
plausible tale. I went to the place you spoke of--to find him of course
spirited away. We have met again in England, Scarlett Trent, and I
have asked once more for Monty. Once more I am met with evasions. This
morning I granted you a week--now I take back my word. I am going to
make public what I know to-morrow morning."

"Since this morning, then," Trent said, "your ill-will toward me has
increased."

"Quite true," Francis answered. "We are playing with the cards upon
the table, so I will be frank with you. What you told me about your
intentions towards Miss Wendermott makes me determined to strike at
once!"

"You yourself, I fancy," Trent said quietly, "admired her?"

"More than any woman I have ever met," Francis answered promptly, "and I
consider your attitude towards her grossly presumptuous."

Trent stood quite still for a moment--then he unlocked the door.

"You had better go, Francis," he said quietly. "I have a defence
prepared but I w