self the
moment after and turned to go.

She covered her face with her hands as the door closed upon him.
She felt as if she had entered upon a new era, indeed, and she
feared with a dread unspeakable to look upon the path which lay
before her.

CHAPTER XI

INTO BATTLE

When Sylvia saw Guy again, he greeted her with an odd expression in
his dark eyes, half-humorous, half-speculative. He was lying
propped on pillows by the open window, a cigarette and a box of
matches by his side.

"Hullo, Sylvia!" he said. "You can come in. The big _baas_ has
set his house in order and gone out."

The early morning sunshine was streaming across his bed. She
thought he looked wonderfully better, and marvelled at the change.

He smiled at her as she drew near. "Yes, I've been washed and fed
and generally made respectable. Thank goodness that brute Kieff
has gone anyway! I couldn't have endured him much longer. What
was the grand offence? Did he make love to you or what?"

"Make love to me! Of course not!" Sylvia flushed indignantly at
the suggestion.

Guy laughed; he seemed in excellent spirits. "He'd better not,
what? But the big _baas_ was very angry with him, I can tell you.
And I can't think it was on my account. I'm inoffensive enough,
heavens knows."

He reached up a hand as she stood beside him, and took and held
hers.

"You're a dear girl, Sylvia," he said. "Just the very sight of you
does me good. You're not sorry Kieff has gone?"

"Sorry! No!" She looked down at him with doubt in her eyes.
"Only--we owe him a good deal, remember. He saved your life."

"Oh, that!" said Guy lightly. "You may set your mind quite at rest
on that score, my dear. He wouldn't have done it if he hadn't felt
like it. He pleases himself in all he does. But I should like to
have witnessed his exit last night. That, I imagine, was more
satisfactory from Burke's point of view than from his.
He--Burke--came back with that smile-on-the-face-of-the-tiger
expression of his. You've seen it, I daresay. It was very much in
evidence last night."

Sylvia repressed a sudden shiver. "Oh, Guy! What do you think
happened?"

He gave her hand a sudden squeeze. "Nothing to worry about, I do
assure you. He's a devil of a fellow when he's roused, isn't he?
But--so far as my knowledge goes--he's never killed anyone yet.
Sit down, old girl, and let's have a smoke together! I'm allowed
just one to-day--as a reward for g