. "Not here," he said. "And not
now. I'll meet you. Where shall I meet you?"

"Why not here--and now?" Burke's hands were at his sides, hard
clenched, as if it took all his strength to keep them there. His
eyes never stirred from Guy's face. They had the fixed and cruel
look of a hawk about to pounce upon its prey and rend it to atoms.

But there was no fear about Guy, neither fear nor shame. Whatever
his sins had been, he had never flinched from the consequences.

He answered without an instant's faltering: "Because we shall be
interrupted. We don't want a pack of women howling round. Also,
there are no weapons. You haven't even a _sjambok_." His eyes
gleamed suddenly. "And there isn't space enough to use it if you
had."

"I don't need even a _sjambok_," Burke said, "to kill a rat like
you."

"No. And I shan't die so hard as a rat either. All the same," Guy
spoke with quiet determination, "you can't do it here. Damn it,
man! Are you afraid I shall run away?"

"No!" The answer came like a blow. "But I can't wait, you
accursed blackguard! I've waited too long already."

"No, you haven't!" Guy straightened himself sharply, braced for
violence, for Burke was close to him and there was something of the
quality of a coiled spring in his attitude, a spring that a touch
would release. "Wait a minute, Burke! Do you hear? Wait a
minute? I'm everything you choose to call me. I'm a traitor, a
thief, and a blackguard. But I'm another thing as well." His
voice broke oddly and he continued in a lower key, rapidly, as if
he feared his strength might not last. "I'm a failure. I haven't
done this thing I tried to do. I never shall do it now.
Because--your wife--is incorruptible. Her loyalty is greater than
my--treachery."

Again there sounded that curious catch in his voice as if a
remorseless hand were tightening upon his throat. But he fought
against it with a fierce persistence. He faced Burke with livid,
twitching lips.

"God knows," he said in a passionate whisper, "whether she loves
you. But she will be true to you--as long as you live!"

His words went into silence--a silence so tense that it seemed as
if it must end in furious action--as if a hurtling blow and a
crashing, headlong fall could be the only outcome.

But neither came. After several rigid seconds Burke spoke, his
voice dead level, without a hint of emotion.

"You expect me to believe that, do you?"

Guy made a sha