“I doubt if anything would induce me to be that,” said Dick curtly.

“Oh, really?  What have I done?  No, don’t tell me!  It would take too long.  I am aware I’m a by-word for wickedness in these parts, heaven alone knows why.  But at least I’ve never injured you.”  Saltash’s smile was suddenly disarming again.

“Never had much opportunity, have you?” said Dick.

“No, but I’ve got one now—­quite a good one.  I could put an end to this little idyll of yours for instance without the smallest difficulty—­if I felt that way.”

“I don’t believe you!” flashed Dick.

“No?  Well, wait till I do it then!” There was amused tolerance in Saltash’s rejoinder.  “You’ll pipe another tune then, I fancy.”

“Shall I?” Dick said.  He paused a moment, his eyes, extremely bright, fixed unwaveringly upon the swarthy face in front of him.  “If I do—­you’ll dance to it!” he said with grim assurance.

Saltash smothered a laugh.  “Well done, I say!  You’ve scored a point at last!  I was waiting for that.  You’ll like me better now, most worthy cavalier.  I daren’t suggest a drink under the circumstances, but I’ll owe you one.”  He extended his hand with a royal air.  “Will you shake?”

Dick held back.  “Will you play the game?” he said.

Saltash grinned.  “My own game?  Certainly!  I always do.”

Dick’s hand came out to him.  Somehow he was hard to refuse.  “A straight game?” he said.

Saltash’s brows expressed amused surprise.  “I always play straight—­till I begin to lose,—­chevalier,” he said.

“And then—­you cheat?” questioned Dick.

“Like the devil,” laughed Saltash.  “We all do that.  Don’t you?”

“No,” Dick said briefly.

“You don’t?  You always put all your cards on the table?  Come now!  Do you?”

Dick hesitated, and Saltash’s grin became more pronounced.  “All right!  You needn’t answer,” he said lightly.  “Do you know I thought you weren’t quite as simple as you appeared at first sight.  Just as well perhaps. Juliette’s cavalier mustn’t be too rustic.”  He stopped to look at Dick appraisingly.  “Yes, I’m glad on the whole that your intentions are honourable,” he ended with a smile.  “I rather doubt if you pull ’em off.  But you may—­you may.”

He turned sharply with the words as if a hand had touched him and faced round upon Juliet as she came out on to the step.

Her face had an exhausted look, but she smiled faintly at the two men as she joined them.

“She is still living,” she said.  “The doctor gives just a shade of hope.  But—­” She looked at Saltash—­“he absolutely forbids her being moved—­at all.  I hope it won’t be a terrible inconvenience to you.”

“It will be a privilege to serve you—­or your friends—­in any way,” said Saltash.

“Thank you,” she said.  “I am sure Mr. Fielding will be very grateful to you.  The doctor is going to send in a nurse.  Of course I shall not leave her.  She has come to depend upon me a good deal.  And we thought of telephoning to her maid to bring everything necessary from Shale Court.”