do it, but----"

"What is it you did?" he asked bluntly.

"I told Mr. Kilmeny that his plan was discovered."

"You--told him." He subdued his anger for the moment. "If it isn't
asking too much--how did you know anything about it?"

She felt herself flushing with shame, but she answered lightly enough.
"You shouldn't discuss secrets so near the breakfast-room, Mr.
Verinder."

"I see. You listened ... and then you ran to your friend, the
highgrader, with the news. That was good of you, Miss Dwight. I
appreciate it--under the circumstances."

She knew he referred to the fact that she was his guest. To hear him put
into words his interpretation of the thing she had done, with
implications of voice and manner that were hateful, moved her to a
disgust that included both him and herself.

"Thank you, Mr. Verinder--for all the kind things you mean and can't
say."

She turned on her heel and walked to the end of the veranda. After a
moment's thought he followed her.

"Have I said a word too much, Miss Dwight? You did listen to a private
conversation you weren't meant to hear, didn't you? And you ran to your
friend with it? If I'm wrong, please correct me."

"I daresay you're right. We'll let it go at that, if you please."

Verinder was irritated. Clearly in the right, he had allowed her to put
him in the wrong.

"I'll withdraw listened, Miss Dwight. Shall we substitute overheard?"

Her angry eyes flashed into his cold, hard ones. "What would you expect
me to do? You know what he did for Joyce and me. And he is Captain
Kilmeny's cousin. Could I let him go to prison without giving even a
warning?"

"Evidently not. So you sacrifice me for him."

"You think I wasn't justified?"

"You'll have to settle that with your conscience," he said coldly.
"Don't think _I_ would have been justified in your place."

"You would have let him go to prison--the man who had fought for you
against odds?"

"Does that alter the fact that he is a thief?" Verinder demanded
angrily.

"It alters my relation to the fact--and it ought to alter yours. He did
a great service to the woman you are engaged to marry. Does that mean
nothing to you?"

"The fellow was playing off his own bat, wasn't he? I don't see I owe
him anything," the mine owner sulkily answered. "Truth is, I'm about fed
up with him. He's a bad lot. That's the long and short of him. I don't
deny he's a well-plucked daredevil. What of it? This town is full of
them. Ther