Then he began to argue the question as to whether it would be fair and honorable to seek to take away from another man the woman who had pledged herself to marry him; and of course an easy and definite decision is sure to be arrived at when counsel on both sides and jury and judges sitting in banco are all one person, who conducts and closes the case as it suits himself.  He began by assuming such facts as suited his arguments, and ended by selecting and confirming such arguments as suited himself.  Wenna Rosewarne cared nothing for Mr. Roscorla.  She would be miserable if she married him:  her own sister was continually hinting as much.  Mr. Roscorla cared nothing for her except in so far as she might prove a pretty housewife for him.  The selfishness that would sacrifice for its own purposes a girl’s happiness was of a peculiarly despicable sort which ought to be combated, and deserved no mercy.  Therefore, and because of all these things, Harry Trelyon was justified in trying to win Wenna Rosewarne’s love.

One by one the people who had been strolling up and down the dark thoroughfare left it:  he was almost alone now.  He walked along to the house in which the Rosewarnes were.  There was no light in any of the windows.  But might she not be sitting up there by herself, looking out on the starlit heavens and listening to the waves?  He wished to be able to say good-night to her once more.

How soon might she be up and out on the morrow?  Early in the morning, when the young day was rising over the gray sea, and the sea-winds coming freshly in as if they were returning from the cold night?  If he could but see her at daybreak, with all the world asleep around them, and with only themselves to watch the growing wonders of the dawn, might not he say something to her then that she would not be vexed to hear, and persuade her that a new sort of life lay before her if she would only enter it along with him?  That was the notion that he continually dwelt on for self-justification when he happened to take the trouble to justify himself.  The crisis of this girl’s life was approaching.  Other errors might be retrieved—­that one, once committed, never.  If he could only see her now, this is what he would say:  “We can only live but once, Wenna; and this for us two would be life—­our only chance of it.  Whatever else may happen, that is no matter:  let us make sure of this one chance, and face the future together—­you full of sweetness and trust, I having plenty of courage for both.  We will treat objectors and objections as they may arise—­afterward:  perhaps they will be prudent and keep out of our way.”  And indeed he convinced himself that this, and this only, was Wenna Rosewarne’s chance of securing happiness for her life, assuming, in a way, that he had love as well as courage sufficient for both.