edible fool! It was not for
want of warnings. But you seemed so different! The idea that you could
play with a woman in this way--compromise her--change all her life, and
spoil it utterly--and then back out! Oh! oh! Can you sit there and tell
me that you have incurred no responsibility in your dealings with me,
Guthrie--making me love you as I did--making me a bad woman--unfaithful
to my good husband--the most honourable, the most trustful of men--"

"Did I do that? Honour bright now, Francie."

"Oh, this is too much!" she burst out furiously, springing from her
seat, and being dragged back by his iron grasp of her hands. "Let me
go, sir! I have had insults enough--and in my own house--with no
husband to protect me--"

"Sit down," he commanded. "And for God's sake don't--don't go on like
that! I can't stand it. I am not insulting you, dear--not wilfully
insulting you--not more than I am forced to. I only want us both to
understand the case as it is; surely you and I are not afraid to speak
out--to face the truth? You are not crying, Francie?"

"No, no! Indeed, I'm not! Don't you flatter yourself! I am not hurt,
and I'm not the sort of person to go begging a man to marry me, either.
I don't think--I really DON'T think that I am QUITE so poorly off as
all that comes to." Here she laughed, but only for an instant. "If you
were to go down on your knees before me, Guthrie, I would not have you
now, after the things you have said to me."

The statement calmed and strengthened him. He felt able to say the rest.

"Quite right, Francie. Dozens of men will come courting you as soon as
you go out again, and any one of them will make you a better husband
than I should have done; but not a better friend. I hope you will
always remember that."

"Many thanks. Will you be so very kind as to release my hands, Captain
Carey? They ache."

"One moment. I want to make sure of the last chance I shall get to
explain--to tell you exactly what I mean--you, who are old enough,
experienced enough, to understand. I don't want to defend myself,
Francie--not at all. I am not the cad to say, 'The woman tempted me,
and I did eat.' I don't blame you, dear--I don't blame anybody. A woman
is a woman; and a lovely woman like you--well, the way things are
managed in this world, I don't believe she can help herself. But look
here, Francie, a man is a man too, and a good deal more so. If you were
a girl, I wouldn't say this; but you knew--you knew w