I see your face fall."

"I am ready to do much to serve you. I would gladly help you, see you
through any difficulty by the way, but I'm afraid I must draw the line
at active partnership," I answered a little lamely under her mocking
eyes. Once more, as suddenly as before, she veered round.

"There is a limit, then, to your devotion?" She was coldly sarcastic
now, and I realized painfully that I had receded in her favour. "I
must not expect unhesitating self-sacrifice? So be it; it is well to
know how far I may go. I sincerely hope I may have no need of you at
all. How thankful I am that I never let you into my secrets! Good
afternoon," and with a contemptuous whisk of her skirts and a laugh,
she was gone.

"I'll have nothing more to say to her," I cried in great heat, vexed
and irritated beyond measure at her capricious temper. I should only
be dragged into some pitfall, some snare, some dire unpleasantness.
But what did I know of her real character? What of my first doubts and
suspicions? She had by no means dispelled them. She had only
bamboozled me by her insinuating ways, had drawn me on by her guileful
cleverness to pity and promises to befriend her. I had accorded her an
active sympathy which in my more sober moments I felt she did not,
could not, deserve; if I were not careful she would yet involve me in
some inextricable mess.

So for half an hour I abused her fiercely; I swore at myself hotly as
an ass, a hopeless and unmitigated ass, ever ready to be betrayed and
beguiled by woman's wiles, the too easy victim of the first pretty
face I saw. The fit lasted for quite half an hour, and then came the
reaction. I heard her rich deep voice singing in my ears, I felt the
haunting glamour of her eyes, remembered her gracious presence, and my
heart went out to her. I was so sorry for her: how could I cast her
off? How could I withhold my countenance if she were in real distress?
She was a woman--a weak, helpless woman; I could not desert and
abandon her. However reprehensible her conduct might have been, she
had a claim to my protection from ill-usage, and I knew in my heart
that she might count upon a good deal more. I knew, of course, that I
ought not to stand between her and the inevitable Nemesis that awaits
upon misdeeds, but what if I helped her to avoid or escape it?

The opportunity was nearer at hand than I thought. My kindly
intentions, bred of my latest sentiments towards Mrs. Blair, were soon
to be p