A cheat trying to get at me by
kindness."

"And isn't kindness worth a little? Come, kneel down and whisper. It
will be easy with your head in my lap and my arms around you. Kneel
down and whisper."

Heaven perhaps could tell where Richard found that last speck of sand
which gave him the power to spring to his feet, to shake off the subtle
influence of touch and voice, and to answer in a voice that fairly rang
with resolve:

"No, nothing--_nothing_."

To Auriole he looked almost godlike as he stood with clenched fists and
every fibre quivering. It was in that instant of admiration and
amazement she recognised him as another man and the cry burst from her
lips:

"You're not Anthony Barraclough!"

Richard wavered visibly and for the first time she saw real fear in his
eye.

"What are you saying? You're mad," he answered.

"You're not Anthony Barraclough!"

"I am. I am."

"No!" She seized him by the shoulders and stared into his face.
"You're different, your eyes, your mouth. Who are you?"

"Anthony Barraclough!" he cried.

"It's not true. Anthony would never have stood this. The men, yes.
The torture, yes, but he always gives way to a woman. Who are you?"

"I've said," he answered brokenly. "I've said."

A turmoil of thoughts raced through her mind and she spoke them aloud.

"Anthony away getting the concession. You here taking his place. It
was clever--clever. Damn them for letting you do it. And you've done
it so wonderfully--borne all this when at a word you might----"

"Talking nonsense," he moaned desperately.

"And you don't know what the secret is. No one but Anthony does.
That's true, isn't it?"

"I do know. I do know--won't say."

"You can't know. That's true, isn't it? Answer me--answer!"

And quite suddenly Richard Frencham Altar's world went all black and
his knees gave way beneath him. He fell with his head in his hands
crying and gasping like a broken hearted child. And Auriole came to
him and put her arms round him and kissed his neck, his hair, and his
poor thin hands.

"And I've helped in the torture," she sobbed. "Broken you down. Oh!
what a beast. What a beast I am."

"Very tired," said Richard. "Want to go to sleep."

"There's no sleep for you in this house except----"

The door opened and Ezra Hipps walked in.

"Sorry to interrupt," he said, "but how's things?"

"I was just coming," said Auriole with a quick pretence at light
heartedness.