“Come,” Cecil said, “there is no need to talk like that.  Why not pass your word to treat this little matter as a joke?  It’s the simplest way.  Go up to your room, change your clothes and shave, have a drink with us, and take the morning train to town.  It’s not worth while risking your life for the sake of a little bit of revenge on us for having gone too far.  I admit that we were wrong in keeping you here.  You terrified us.  Forrest has more enemies than friends and I am unknown in London.  If you went to the club with your story, people would believe it.  We shouldn’t have a chance.  That is why we were afraid to let you go back.  Forget the last few days and cry quits.”

“I’ll see you d——­d first,” Engleton answered.

Cecil’s face changed a little.

“Well,” he said, “I have made you a fair offer.  If you refuse, I shall leave it to my friend Forrest to deal with you.  You may not find him so easy, as I have been.”

Kate stepped for a moment forward, and laid her hand on Cecil’s shoulder.

“Mr. De la Borne,” she said, “we don’t want to have anything to say to your friend.  We trust him less than you.  Open the door and let us out.”

“Where are you going to?” Cecil asked.  “Engleton is not fit to walk anywhere.”

“I am going to take him back home with me,” Kate answered.  “Oh, I can get him there all right.  I am not afraid of that.  He will have plenty of strength to walk away from this place.”

“It is impossible, my dear Kate,” Cecil answered.  “Take my advice.  Leave him to us.  We will deal with him reasonably enough.  Kate, listen.”

He passed his arm through hers and drew her a little on one side.

“Kate,” he said, “I’m afraid I haven’t behaved exactly well to you.  I got up in London amongst a lot of people who seemed to look at things so differently, and there were distractions, and I’m afraid that I forgot some of my promises.  But I have never forgotten you.  Why do you take the part of that miserable creature over there?  He is just a young simpleton, who, because he was half drunk, dared to accuse us of cheating.  We were obliged to keep him shut up until he took it back.  Leave him to us.  He shall come to no harm.  I give you my word, and I will never forget it.”

Kate looked at him a little curiously.

“Will you keep your promise?” she asked curiously.

Cecil hesitated, but only for a minute.

“Yes,” he said, “I will even do that.”

She withdrew her arm firmly, but without haste.

“Is that all you have to say?” she asked.

“I offer you my promise,” he answered.  “Isn’t that worth something?”

“Something,” she answered, “not much.  I want no more to do with you, Mr. Cecil de la Borne.  Don’t think you can make terms with me for you can’t.  I only hope that you get punished for what you have done.”

Cecil raised his hand as though about to strike her.