"I hold him responsible
for this," he said.

She gazed at him, assailed by a swift wonder as to his sanity.

In a second he saw the doubt and replied to it, still with that deadly
quietness that seemed to her more terrible than violence. "I know what I
am saying. He is--directly responsible. My boy died for my sake, because
he believed what Jack told him--that no woman would ever consent to marry
me while he lived."

"Oh, Dick! You don't mean--he did it--on purpose!" Juliet's voice was
quick with pain. "Dick, surely--surely--it wasn't that! You are making
a mistake!"

"No. It is no mistake," he said, with sombre conviction. "I know it. Mrs.
Rickett knows it too. It's been preying on his mind ever since. He hasn't
been well. He's suffered with his head a good deal lately. He--" He
stopped himself. "There's no need to distress you over this. Thank you
for coming. I didn't really expect you. Is he--is Jack--waiting to take
you back?"

"No," said Juliet quietly.

His brows went up. "You are sleeping at the Court? I'll take you there."

"I'm not going yet, Dick," she said gently, "unless you turn me out."

His face quivered unexpectedly. He turned from her. "There's--nothing to
wait for," he said.

But Juliet stood motionless. Her eyes went down the long bare room with
its empty forms and ink-splashed desks. She thought it the most desolate
place she had ever seen.

After an interval of blank silence Dick spoke again. "Don't you stay! I'm
not myself to-night. I can't--think. It was awfully good of you to come.
But don't--stay!"

"Dick!" she said.

At sound of her voice he turned. His eyes looked at her out of such a
depth of misery as pierced her to the heart. She saw his hands clench
against his sides. "O my God!" he said under his breath.

"Dick!" she said again very earnestly. "Don't send me away! Let me
help you!"

"You can't," he said. "You've been too good to me--already."

"You wouldn't say that to me if I were--your wife," she said.

He flinched sharply. "Juliet! Don't torture me! I've had--as much as I
can stand to-night."

She held out her hand to him with a gesture superbly simple. "My dear, I
will marry you to-morrow if you will have me," she said.

He stood for a long second staring at her. Then she saw his face change
and harden. The ascetic look that she had noticed long ago came over it
like a mask.

"No!" he said. "No!"

Again he turned from her. He went away up the long room, the