able
indifference, "Mr. Rattray."

"So that's the connection!" said I; and I think its very simplicity was
what surprised me most.

"Yes; he was waiting for us at Ascension."

"Then it was all arranged?"

"Every detail."

"And this young blackguard is as bad as any of them!"

"Worse," said she, with bitter brevity. Nor had I ever seen her look so
hard but once, and that was the night before in the old justice hall,
when she told Rattray her opinion of him to his face. She had now the
same angry flush, the same set mouth and scornful voice; and I took
it finally into my head that she was unjust to the poor devil, villain
though he was. With all his villainy I declined to believe him as bad
as the others. I told her so in as many words. And in a moment we were
arguing as though we were back on the Lady Jermyn with nothing else to
do.

"You may admire wholesale murderers and thieves," said Eva. "I do not."

"Nor I. My point is simply that this one is not as bad as the rest. I
believe he was really glad for my sake when he discovered that I knew
nothing of the villainy. Come now, has he ever offered you any personal
violence?"

"Me? Mr. Rattray? I should hope not, indeed!"

"Has he never saved you from any?"

"I--I don't know."

"Then I do. When you left them last night there was some talk of
bringing you back by force. You can guess who suggested that--and who
set his face against it and got his way. You would think the better of
Rattray had you heard what passed."

"Should I?" she asked half eagerly, as she looked quickly round at me;
and suddenly I saw her eyes fill. "Oh, why will you speak about him?"
she burst out. "Why must you defend him, unless it's to go against me,
as you always did and always will! I never knew anybody like you--never!
I want you to take me away from these wretches, and all you do is to
defend them!"

"Not all," said I, clasping her hand warmly in mine. "Not all--not all!
I will take you away from them, never fear; in another hour God grant
you may be out of their reach for ever!"

"But where are we to go?" she whispered wildly. "What are you to do with
me? All my friends think me dead, and if they knew I was not it would
all come out."

"So it shall," said I; "the sooner the better; if I'd had my way it
would all be out already."

I see her yet, my passionate darling, as she turned upon me, whiter than
the full white moon.

"Mr. Cole," said she, "you must give me your s