that? I admit I thought you held me utterly
bad and heartless, and it made me bitter.... I had no heart--once. I had
only a wrong, an injury, which was in my mind; not mine, but another's,
and yet mine. Then strange things occurred.... At last I relented. I
saw that I had better go. Yesterday I saw that; and I am going--that is
all.... I wished to keep the edge of my intercourse with you sharp
and uncompanionable to the end; but you have forced me at my weakest
point...." Here she smiled somewhat painfully.... "Believe me, that is
the way to turn a woman's weapon upon herself. You have learned much
since we first met.... Here is my hand in friendliness, if you care to
take it; and in good-bye, should we not meet again more formally before
I go."

"I wish now that your husband, Boyd Madras, were here," I said.

She answered nothing, but she did not resent it, only shuddered a
little.

Our hands grasped silently. I was too choked to speak, and I left her.
At that moment she blinded me to all her faults. She was a wonderful
woman.

.....................

Galt Roscoe had walked slowly along the forest-road towards the valley,
his mind in that state of calm which, in some, might be thought numbness
of sensation, in others fortitude--the prerogative of despair. He came
to the point of land jutting out over the valley, where he had stood
with Mrs. Falchion, Justine, and myself, on the morning of Phil
Boldrick's death.

He looked for a long time, and then, slowly descending the hillside,
made his way to Mr. Devlin's office. He found Phil's pal awaiting him
there. After a few preliminaries, the money was paid over, and Kilby
said:

"I've been to see his camping-ground. It's right enough. Viking has done
it noble.... Now, here's what I'm goin' to do: I'm goin' to open bottles
for all that'll drink success to Viking. A place that's stood by my
pal, I stand by--but not with his money, mind you! No, that goes to you,
Padre, for hospital purposes. My gift an' his.... So, sit down and write
a receipt, or whatever it's called, accordin' to Hoyle, and you'll do me
proud."

Roscoe did as he requested, and handed the money over to Mr. Devlin for
safe keeping, remarking, at the same time, that the matter should be
announced on a bulletin outside the office at once.

As Kilby stood chewing the end of a cigar and listening to the brief
conversation between Roscoe and Mr. Devlin, perplexity crossed his face.
He said, as R