r 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.

"You little cat!" he exclaimed. "We'll see the thing through, then. You
are prisoners here just as much as though you were in the vault."

Forrest, who had spoken very little, came suddenly forward.

"We have talked too much," he said, "and wasted too much time. Let us
have the issue before us in black and white. Engleton, are you well
enough to understand what I say?"

"Perfectly," Engleton answered. "Go on."

"Will you sign a retraction of