ay be matters of life and death with me."

"Aye, if it were for you it would be different. I might see my way
clear--but for a girl you have only a distant interest in--"

"It is a matter of whether or not her heart shall be broken."

"Come, come. Let's talk man talk. Besides, girls' hearts don't break in
this country. You're old-fashioned."

"I tell you the question of her happiness is worth more than a dozen
lives like yours and mine."

There had been a gathering impatience in Lord Nick. Now he, also, leaped
to his feet; a giant.

"Tell me in one word: You stick on this point?"

"In one word--yes!"

"Then you deny me, Garry. You set me aside for a silly purpose of your
own--a matter that really doesn't mean much to you. It shows me where I
stand in your eyes--and nothing between the devil and the moon shall
make me sidestep!"

They remained silent, staring at each other. Lord Nick stood with a
flush of anger growing; Donnegan became whiter than ever, and he
stiffened himself to his full height, which, in all who knew him well,
was the danger signal.

"You take Landis?" he said softly.

"I do."

"Not," said Donnegan, "while I live!"

"You mean--" cried Lord Nick.

"I mean it!"

They had been swept back to the point at which that strangest of scenes
began, but this time there was an added element--horror.

"You'd fight?"

"To the death, Henry!"

"Garry, if one of us should kill the other, he'd be cursed forever!"

"I know it."

"And she's worth even this?"

"A thousand times more! What are we? Dust in the wind; dust in the wind.
But a woman like that is divine, Henry!"

Lord Nick swayed a little, setting himself in balance like an animal
preparing for the leap.

"If it comes to the pinch, it is you who will die," he said.

"You've no chance against me, Garry. And I swear to you that I won't
weaken. You prove that you don't care for me. You put another above me.
It's my pride, my life, that you'd sacrifice to the whim of a girl!" His
passion choked him.

"Are you ready?" said Donnegan.

"Yes!"

"Move first!"

"I have never formed the habit."

"Nor I! You fool, take what little advantage you can, because it won't
help you in the end."

"You shall see. I have a second sight, Henry, and it shows me you dead
on the floor there, looking bigger than ever, and I see the gun smoking
in my hand and my heart as dead as ashes! Oh, Henry, if there were only
some other way!"

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