She shrank back suddenly, her hand dropping from his arm.

“No,” she cried.  “No, no.”

He smiled triumphantly.

“Then we’ll let it go for a while.  If you wouldn’t care to do it, afraid that I might die under your knife, I guess I don’t want it done at all.  I am quite content with things as they are.  I see the way to gain the ends I desire; I am gaining them; if there is a brain pressure, well, I’m quite ready to thank God and Moraga for it!  Which you may take as absolutely final, Dr. Page!”

She was beaten then and she knew it.  She went back to her chair in a sort of bewildered despair, her hands dropping idly to her lap.

“It would be just as well,” he said presently, “if I left before any one came in.  Before I go, do you mind telling me what you mean to do?  Shall you denounce me?  Are you going to spread your suspicions abroad?”

“What do you leave me to do?  Have I the right to sit still and say nothing?  You would go on as you have begun; you would commit fresh crimes.  In spite of your ‘two essentials’ you would be led to kill a man sooner or later.  Or you yourself would be killed.  Have I the right to allow all of that to continue?”

“Then you have decided to accuse me?”

“It is so hard to decide anything.  You make it so hard; can’t you see that you do? . . .  But, after all, my part is clear; if you will consent to an examination and an operation I will say nothing of what has happened.  If you won’t do that . . . you will drive me to tell what I know.”

“Our trails divide to-night, then?  I had hoped for better than that, Virginia.”

Though her cheeks flushed, she held her eyes steadily upon his.

“I, too, had hoped for better than that,” she confessed, finding this no time for faltering.  “I should continue to hope if you would just do your part.”

He came a swift step toward her.  Then he stopped suddenly, his hands falling to his sides.  But the light in his eyes did not diminish.

“Denounce me to-morrow, if you wish,” he said slowly, indifferently it seemed to her.  “Accept my promise that I will attempt no theft of more gold to-night; give me this one last chance to talk with you.  Before some one comes, come out with me.  You are not afraid of me; you admit that I am sane.  Then let us ride together.  And let me talk with you freely.  Will you, Virginia?  Will you do that one favor for me?”

The high desire was upon her to accede to his request; her calmer judgment forbade it.  But to-night was to-night; to-morrow would be to-morrow.  And, after all, in her talk with him, she might save the man to himself and to his truer manhood.

But even that hope was less than her desire when she answered him.

“Have my horse saddled,” she said.  “I’ll let Struve think I have to make a call at Las Estrellas.  I’ll be out in five minutes.”