ck to London,
Leicester spoke again.

"Winfield," he said, "do you think she meant what she said? that is, do
you think she will ever be led to change her mind?"

"All things are possible," said Winfield.

"Yes, but do you think she will?"

"No," said Winfield, "I do not believe she ever will." He was sorry,
after he had spoken, that he had not fenced with the question, so
terrible was the look in Leicester's eyes.

"Ah," he replied, "I was only curious to know what you thought. I have
always looked upon you as a level-headed fellow."

"I think," said Winfield, "that her pride was wounded, that she was very
angry at being made the subject of a wager. What woman wouldn't? Then
that conversation we had together a few weeks ago was made to look very
black. Of course you might write a letter, giving a full explanation. By
to-morrow she will be able to see things in a clearer light."

"No," said Leicester, "she never will."

Winfield was silent.

"Still, I'll write the letter."

"I should."

"I'll write it as soon as we get back to the club. I'll state the whole
truth. I ought to have done it before."

"It would have been best. But who would have thought that those two
fellows would have----"

"Don't talk about them yet, Winfield. Please don't--if--if--but never
mind that now."

The man's face was contorted with passion, but he spoke quietly, almost
coldly. Winfield shivered as he spoke, however. If ever murder burned in
a man's eyes, it burned in Leicester's at that moment.

Directly they arrived at the club, he seized a pen and wrote rapidly,
while Winfield remained near him smoking a cigar. Page after page was
covered with Leicester's bold, clear writing; when he had finished he
passed what he had written to Winfield.

"It's mean of me to bother you," he said, "but I'm quite bowled over. I
hardly know whether I've set everything down exactly as it occurred.
Would you mind reading what I've written and tell me whether I've made
the whole affair plain?"

Winfield read the letter from the first word to the last.

"Yes," he said; "nothing could be more clearly stated. Nothing could be
more plain or straight-forward."

"Thank you. I wanted to be sure I was in my right mind. I'll not trouble
you with the rest of the letter."

Again he wrote; and this time it was evident by the look on his face
that he was setting down what was only for Olive Castlemaine's eyes. As
a matter of fact, he was pleading wit