s.' 'Kalman, be a man, straight, self-controlled,
honourable, unselfish.' The answer is,--but no! the answer never
will be,--'Jack is a drunken, swearing, selfish, reckless man!'
No, for he loves you. But like you he will be, in spite of all
I can say or do. That is your curse for the life you are leading.
Responsibility? God help you. Read your letter again. That woman
sees clearly. It is God's truth. Listen, 'The responsibility for
what you make him you must take. God puts it there, not I.'
You may refuse this responsibility, you may be too weak, too wilful,
too selfish to set upon your own wicked indulgence of a foolish
appetite, but the responsibility is there, and no living man or
woman can take it from you."

French stood silent for some moments. "Thank you," he said,
"you have set my sins before me, and I will not try to hide them;
but by the Eternal, not for you or for any man, will I be anything
but myself."

"What kind of self?" enquired Brown. "Beast or man?"

"That is not the question," said French hotly. "I will be no
hypocrite, as you would have me be."

"Jack French," said Brown, "you know you are speaking a lie before
God and man."

French stepped quickly towards him.

"Brown, you will have to apologize," he said in a low, tense voice,
"and quick."

"French, I will apologize if what I have said is not true."

"I cannot discuss it with you, Brown," said French, his voice thick
with rage. "I allow no man to call me a liar; put up your hands."

"If you are a man, French," said Brown with equal calm, "give me a minute.
Read your letter again. Does she ask you to be a hypocrite? Does she not,
do I not, only ask you to be a man, and to act like a man?"

"It won't do, Brown. It is past argument. You gave me the lie."

"French, I wish to apologize for what I said just now," said Brown.
"I said you knew you were speaking a lie. I take that back, and
apologize. I cannot believe you knew. All the same, what you said
was not the truth. No one asks you, nor does that letter ask you,
to be a hypocrite. You said I did. That was not true. Now, if you
wish to slap my face, go on."

French stood motionless. His rage well-nigh overpowered him, but he
knew this man was speaking the truth. For some moments they stood
face to face. Then, impulsively offering his hand, and with a quick
change of voice, Brown said, "I am awfully sorry, French; let's
forget it."

But ignoring the outstretched hand, French turne