I looked at the man.  He was sincere.  An incredible, naive, almost idiotic purity shone in his face....

Again I was impelled to confess.  Again I held my tongue.  Again I lied.

“Penton, what you have just said about you and Hildreth and your lives together, I shall consider as sacred between us.”

He gave me his hand.

“Promise me one thing, that you will not take Hildreth as your sweetheart ... be true to our friendship first, Johnnie.”

“Penton, I am only flesh and blood; I will promise, if anything happens, to tell you, ultimately, the truth.”

He looked at me with close scrutiny again, at this ambiguous speech.

“Johnnie, have you told me the absolute truth?”

“Yes!” evading his eyes.

“—­because there is a wild strain in Hildreth that only needs a little rousing—­” He paused.

* * * * *

“Johnnie,” as we walked away, “don’t you think you had better pack up and leave? The next time I am going to sue for a divorce.”

* * * * *

We walked home arm in arm.  I simulated so well that it was Baxter who begged pardon for even suspecting me.

But I felt like a dog.  I, for my part, determined to bid farewell to Hildreth that very evening, before she retired for the night, in her cottage—­take train to New York, and so to Paris, without first finishing my Judas, as I had intended.

We would bury forever in the secret places of our hearts what had already happened between us ... this was my first impulse....

My next was—­that we should up and run away together, and defy Penton Baxter and the world.

* * * * *

Hildreth could see by the strangeness in my behaviour, as I came into the cottage, to kiss her good-night ... and stay a little while—­a new custom of ours, as we grew bolder—­could see that I had something on my mind.

I related to her all that had taken place between me and Penton that morning....

“The cad,” she cried, “the nasty cad, to talk to you so about me ...  I would have told you myself because you are my lover ... but he had no right to tell you ... as far as he has proof positive, you are merely a mutual friend....

“But that’s the way with him.  He has mixed his own life up so that it is all public, to him.

“Yes,” she cried impetuously and passionately ... “it’s true ...  I have not been faithful to him before....”

“—­and you returned to him? wasn’t that weak?”

I took her hands in mine, with mind and soul made up at last....

“This time you can go through with it.  Here’s a man who will stand by you forever.  I can earn a living for both of us, and—­”

“Don’t let’s discuss the horrid old subject any more to-night ...  I’m tired of discussing ... as you love me, read some poetry to me ... or I shall scream!”