it for no such
reason, but for that sweet girl-woman in distress!"

He brought his fist down on the table as he said this so that the lamp
jumped and the blaze shot up the chimney, and glared defiance at the man
across from him.

Dillard's heart seemed trying to pump the blood through his skin, but he
only looked at John as though he had been addressed in Arabic or
Chinese.

"There's no use side-tracking the truth," resumed Glenning. "We've
agreed to work together in a common cause, and do it as friends who
trust each other. There can be no good work nor full trust where there
is concealment. I know you love Miss Dudley--why shouldn't you! So own
up, and let's get to business!"

"I've loved her for six years!" Dillard said, the words struggling
through a tight throat. "But I've never told anyone before, not even
her. I'd give ten years from the other end of my life to have this
check, instead of you! I've told you the truth; you do the same," he
added, with a sort of eagerness mixed with dread.

"That's fair. This is the truth. I've never met a more lovely character
or beautiful face in a woman. I've been drawn towards her strongly--so
strongly--almost irresistibly. It must be the rare and indefinable charm
of her personality; her pure, sweet, unsullied nature. She is entirely
unlike any other woman I have ever known." A shadow of pain came and
went from his mouth unobserved by the one to whom he was talking. "You
want to know if I love her, and I tell you truly, Tom Dillard, so help
me God, I don't know! But I'll say this in all candour: were it not for
her I'd never turn this money over to Major Dudley. Now you may think me
a liar if you wish, but that is as near the truth as I can come tonight.
Now we find ourselves back to the business in hand. A mutual exchange of
confidence is good. I really fear I am drifting on the shoals, old
fellow, but I'm not near enough to them to declare it positively. Are
you satisfied?"

A grayish pallor had settled on Dillard's face as John talked.

"If you go in it's all up with me," he said, despondently. "But we'll
play fair."

The eyes which he lifted were honest and straightforward.

"You're a man, Dillard; shake hands!" said John.

They did, in a firm grasp.

"Now to business," resumed the speaker, producing a black briar pipe and
filling it slowly from a "hand" of natural leaf which lay on the top of
his desk. "You're a banker, Dillard. How's a fellow to transfer m