“No ...  She only said she had been lost....  Wait a moment; I’m trying to think of the men Cardemon employs—­”

He was ashy white and trembling, and the doctor laid a steadying hand on his arm.

“Hold on, Louis,” he said sharply, “it was no worse than a fright. Do you understand?...  And do you understand, too, that an innocent and sensitive and modest girl would rather die than have such a thing made public through your well-meant activity?  So there’s nothing for anybody to do—­yet.”

Neville could scarcely speak.

“Do you mean—­she was attacked by some—­man!”

“It looks like it.  And—­you’d better keep it from your family—­because she did.  She’s game to the core—­that little girl.”

“But she—­she’ll tell me!” stammered Neville—­she’s got to tell me—­”

“She won’t if she can help it.  Would it aid her any if you found out who it was and killed him?—­ran for a gun and did a little murdering some pleasant morning—­just to show your chivalrous consideration and devotion to her?”

“Are you asking me to let a beast like that go unpunished?” demanded Neville violently.

“Oh, use your brains, Louis.  He frightened her and she slashed him well for it.  And, womanlike—­after there was no more danger and no more necessity for pluck—­she got scared and ran; and the farther she ran the more scared she became.  Look here, Louis; look at me—­squarely.”  He laid both ponderous hands on Neville’s shoulders: 

“Sam has told me all about you and Miss West—­and I can guess how your family takes it.  Can’t you see why she had the pluck to remain silent about this thing?  It was because she saw in it the brutal contempt of the world toward a woman who stood in that world alone, unsupported, unprotected.  And she would not have you and your family know how lightly the world held the woman whom you love and wish to marry—­not for her own sake alone—­but for the sake of your family’s pride—­and yours.”

His hands dropped from Neville’s shoulders; he stood considering him for a moment in silence.

“I’ve told you because, if you are the man I think you are, you ought to know the facts.  Forcing her to the humiliation of telling you will not help matters; filling this pup full of lead means an agony of endless publicity and shame for her, for your family, and for you....  He’ll never dare remain in the same county with her after this.  He’s probably skedaddled by this time anyway.” ...  Dr. Ogilvy looked narrowly at Neville.  “Are you pretty sane, now?”

“Yes.”

“You realise that gun-play is no good in this matter?”

“Y-yes.”

“And you really are going to consider Miss West before your own natural but very primitive desire to do murder?”

Neville nodded.

“Knowing,” added the doctor, “that the unspeakable cur who affronted her has probably taken to his heels?”