ed me nothing more of the matter, for he did not wish to know
what had passed between us. Only he looked at me queerly, and, as I
think, thought the worse of me afterwards, for he found out that
Suzanne and I had quarrelled about the song I sang in the ears of the
Englishmen, and what that song was he could guess very well. Yes, yes,
although he had been a party to the fraud, in his heart Jan put all the
blame of it upon me, for that is the way of men who are mean, and always
love to say "The woman tempted me," a vile habit which has come down to
them with their blood.

Meanwhile another talk was passing between Ralph and Suzanne. They had
rushed to meet each other like two separated colts bred in the same
meadow, but when they came together it was different. Ralph put out his
arms to embrace her, but she pushed him back and said, "No, not until we
have spoken together."

"This is a cold greeting," said Ralph, amazed and trembling, for he
feared lest Suzanne should have changed her mind as to their marriage.
"What is it that you have to tell me? Speak on, quickly."

"Two things, Ralph," she answered, and taking the least of them first,
she plunged straightway into a full account of the coming of the
Englishmen, of all that had passed then, and of her quarrel with me upon
the matter.

"And now, Ralph," she ended, "you will understand that you have been
cheated of your birthright, and this I think it just that you should
know, so that, if you will, you may change your mind about staying here,
for there is yet time, and follow these Englishmen to wherever it is
they have gone, to claim from them your heritage."

Ralph laughed and answered, "Why, Sweet, I thought that we had settled
all this long ago. That your mother did not tell the men quite the truth
is possible, but if she played with it, it was for the sake of all of us
and with my leave. Let them go and the fortune with them, for even if I
could come to England and find it there, I should be but as a wild
buck in a sheep kraal, out of place and unhappy. Moreover, we should be
separated, dear, for even if you would all consent, I could never take
you from your own people and the land where you were born. So now that
there is an end to this, once and for ever, let me kiss you in greeting,
Suzanne."

But she shook her head and denied him, saying, "No, for I have another
tale to tell you, and an uglier--so ugly indeed that after the hearing
of it I doubt much whet