d a breathless instant.

"Yes," she said. "I am."

She added, as he stared calmly at her, considering: "There's a girl in
the case. She came up here to get Landis; seems he was in love with her
once. And I pitied her. I sent him back to her. Suppose he is a mint;
haven't we coined enough money out of him? Besides, I couldn't have kept
on with it."

"No?"

"He was getting violent, and he talked marriage all day, every day. I
haven't any nerves, you say, but he began to put me on edge. So I got
rid of him."

"Nelly, are you growing a conscience?"

She flushed and then set her teeth.

"But I'll have to teach you business methods, my dear. I have to bring
him back."

"You'll have to go through Donnegan to do it."

"I suppose so."

"You don't understand, Nick. He's different."

"Eh?"

"He's like you."

"What are you driving at?"

"Nick, I tell you upon my word of honor, no matter what a terrible
fighter you may be, Donnegan will give you trouble. He has your hair
and your eyes and he moves like a cat. I've never seen such a
man--except you. I'd rather see you fight the plague than fight
Donnegan!"

For the first time Lord Nick showed real emotion; he leaned a little
forward.

"Just what does he mean to you?" he asked. "I've stood for a good deal,
Nelly; I've given you absolute freedom, but if I ever suspect you--"

The lion was up in him unmistakably now. And the girl shrank.

"If it were serious, do you suppose I'd talk like this?"

"I don't know. You're a clever little devil, Nell. But I'm clever, too.
And I begin to see through you. Do you still want to save Donnegan?"

"For your own sake."

He stood up.

"I'm going up the hill today. If Donnegan's there, I'll go through him;
but I'm going to have Landis back!"

She, also, rose.

"There's only one way out and I'll take that way. I'll get Donnegan to
leave the house."

"I don't care what you do about that."

"And if he isn't there, will you give me your word that you won't hunt
him out afterward?"

"I never make promises, Nell."

"But I'll trust you, Nick."

"Very well. I start up the hill in an hour. You have that long."

30

The air was thin and chilly; snow had fallen in the mountains to the
north, and the wind was bringing the cold down to The Corner. Nelly
Lebrun noted this as she dressed and made up her mind accordingly. She
sent out two messages: one to the cook to send breakfast to her room,
which she ate while