p quiet about them, Claude, if I were you. You
make it too easy for an opponent."

"Oh, well," Claude returned, airily, "I'm used to doing that. I made it
infernally easy for an opponent--last winter. But, then, sneaking's
always easy to a snake, till you get your heel on him."

"And snarling's easy to a puppy, till you've throttled him."

"And bluster's easy to a fool, till you let him see you hold him in
contempt."

"As to holding in contempt, two can play at that game, Claude; and you
might find the competition dangerous."

Claude came nearer, the lighted cigarette between his fingers. "Not on
your life! That's one thing in which I'm not afraid to bet on myself."
He came nearer still, planting himself within a few paces of his
brother. His smile, his mirthless, dead-man's smile, held Thor's eyes as
it had held Lois's a day or two before. He made an effort to speak
jauntily. "Why, Thor, a volcano can't belch fire as fast as I can spit
contempt on you. There! Take that!"

With a rapid twist of the hand he threw the lighted cigarette into
Thor's face, where it struck with a little smarting burn below the eye.
Thor held himself in check by clenching his fists more tightly and
standing with bowed head. It was a minute or more before he was
sufficiently master of himself to loosen the grip with which his fingers
dug into one another, and put up his hand to brush the spot of ash from
his cheek. Being in so great fear of his passions, he felt the necessity
for speaking peaceably.

"What did you do that for, Claude? It's beastly silly."

"Oh no, it isn't--not the way I mean it."

"But why should you mean it that way? What have I ever done to you?"

"Good Lord! what haven't you done? You've--you've ruined me."

The charge was so unexpected that Thor looked more amazed than
indignant. "Ruined you?"

"Yes, ruined me. What else did you set out to do when you began your
confounded interference?"

"I didn't mean to interfere--"

Claude might have posed for some symbolical figure of accusation as,
with hands in his trousers pockets and classic profile turned in a
three-quarter light, he flung his words and directed his glances
obliquely and disdainfully at the brother who glowered with bent head.
"When you don't mean to go into a thing you keep out. That was your
place--out. Do you get that?--_out_. But you're never satisfied till
you've made as vile a mess of every one else's affairs as you've made of
your own."