Brant leaped to his feet, but the other never deigned to alter his position.

“Forcing my attentions!” exclaimed the officer.  “God’s mercy, man! do you realize what you are saying?  I have forced no attentions upon Miss Gillis.”

“My reference was rather to future possibilities.  Young blood is proverbially hot, and I thought it wise to warn you in time.”

Brant stared into that imperturbable face, and somehow the very sight of its calm, inflexible resolve served to clear his own brain.  He felt that this cool, self-controlled man was speaking with authority.

“Wait just a moment,” he said, at last.  “I wish this made perfectly clear, and for all time.  I met Miss Gillis first through pure accident.  She impressed me strongly then, and I confess I have since grown more deeply interested in her personality.  I have reasons to suppose my presence not altogether distasteful to her, and she has certainly shown that she reposed confidence in me.  Not until late last night did I even suspect she was the same girl whom we picked up with you out on the desert.  It came to me from her own lips and was a total surprise.  She revealed her identity in order to justify her proposed clandestine meeting with you.”

“And hence you requested this pleasant conference,” broke in Hampton, coolly, “to inform me, from your calm eminence of respectability, that I was no fit companion for such a young and innocent person, and to warn me that you were prepared to act as her protector.”

Brant slightly inclined his head.

“I may have had something of that nature in my mind.”

“Well, Lieutenant Brant,” and the older man rose to his feet, his eyes still smiling, “some might be impolite enough to say that it was the conception of a cad, but whatever it was, the tables have unexpectedly turned.  Without further reference to my own personal interests in the young lady, which are, however, considerable, there remain other weighty reasons, that I am not at liberty to discuss, which make it simply impossible for you to sustain any relationship to Miss Gillis other than that of ordinary social friendship.”

“You—­you claim the right—­”

“I distinctly claim the right, for the reason that I possess the right, and no one has ever yet known me to relinquish a hold once fairly gained.  Lieutenant Brant, if I am any judge of faces you are a fighting man by nature as well as profession, but there is no opportunity for your doing any fighting here.  This matter is irrevocably settled—­Naida Gillis is not for you.”

Brant was breathing hard.  “Do you mean to insinuate that there is an understanding, an engagement between you?” he faltered, scarcely knowing how best to resent such utterance.

“You may place your own construction upon what I have said,” was the quiet answer.  “The special relations existing between Miss Gillis and myself chance to be no business of yours.  However, I will consent to say this—­I do enjoy a relationship to her that gives me complete authority to say what I have said to you.  I regret having been obliged by your persistency to speak with such plainness, but this knowledge should prove sufficient to control the actions of a gentleman.”