the old concealing pride. "I'm
quite all right, thank you."

She was not rebuffed. "You are quite all wretched," she said, "you poor
lad, and I'm no end sorry, but--Carter, don't think this ill wind of
Jimsy's will blow you any good."

He flushed hotly through his strained pallor.

"Ah," said the Englishwoman, gently, "you were counting on it. It's no
good, Carter. It's no good. Not with Honor Carmody."

Carter did not answer her in words but there was angry denial in the
tilt of his head as he limped away, and she looked after him sadly.

He found Honor limply relaxed in a long wicker chair. "Carter," she
whispered, "I wish I'd asked you to give Jimsy a taste of that water."

"You think he deserves it?" He couldn't keep the sneer out of his voice.

"No," she answered him honestly. "I don't think he deserves it ... but
he needs it."

The words repeated themselves over and over in the other's mind. He
didn't deserve it, but he needed it. That was the way--the weak,
sentimental, womanish way in which she would reason it out about
herself, he supposed ... Jimsy King didn't deserve her, but he needed
her. He was deep in his bitter reflections when he realized that she
was speaking to him.

"Cartie, I must tell you how fine I think you are! You were splendid ...
about the water ... not taking any ... when I know how you're
suffering." She had to speak slowly, and if Stephen Lorimer had stood
out in the hall he would never have recognized his Top Step's voice. "Of
course we believe help is coming ... that we'll be safe in a few hours
... but because we may not be ... this is the time for telling the
truth, isn't it, Carter? I want to tell you ... how I respect you....
Once I said you were weak, when I was angry at you.... But now I know
you're strong ... stronger than--Jimsy ... with the best kind of
strength. I want you to know that I know that, Carty."

"_Honor_!" The truth and the lie spun round and round in his aching
head; he _was_ stronger than Jimsy King; he hadn't made a drunken beast
of himself; suppose he had taken the first sip of the water?--He hadn't
taken it all. He was a better man than Jimsy King. He made a swift
motion toward her, saying her name brokenly in his choked voice, but he
crumpled suddenly and slid from his chair to the floor and was still.

Honor flew to the foot of the stairs and called Mrs. King. "Carter has
fainted! Will you help me?"

Mrs. King called the Mexican guard in from t