y, put his
head on one side and stared up the line of the track. Then he trotted
off into the darkness....

The straps fastened, Andre turned about.

Anthony put out his hand.

"Good-bye," he said gently.

For a moment the girl looked at him. Then she gave a little sob, and,
putting her arms about his neck, drew down his head and kissed him
frantically. A moment later she was leaning wearily against the car,
with the sleeve of her right arm across her eyes. As she let it fall,
Winchester stepped out of the darkness with Patch at his heels.

"Andre?" he said. And then again, "Andre?" Anthony swung on his heel
and faced the speaker. The latter stared at him with smouldering eyes.

"Lyveden?" he said hoarsely.

There was an electric silence.

Then Anthony turned to Miss Strongi'th'arm.

"I most humbly apologize," he said. "My feelings got the better of me.
I pray that you will try to forgive me." He turned to Winchester.
"This lady needed some water for her radiator, and came to my door----"

"You blackguard!" said Winchester. "You----"

"It's a lie!" flamed Andre.

The cold steel of her tone fairly whistled. Instinctively both men
started.

"It's a lie, Richard. He's the cleanest, straightest man that ever
breathed. He'd no idea who I was. He hasn't now. He never knew my
name till you said it. I forced myself upon him the other day. I
forced myself upon him to-night. And he's--he's just turned me
down.... He said what he did just now to try and shield me. But he's
blameless. It was I who--made the running. And I'm glad you saw it.
_Glad!_" She tore off her left glove. "Because it's your own fault.
It's eighteen months since I promised to be your wife. Eighteen solid
months. And I'm tired--sick of waiting--fed up. First it was Russia:
then the North of France: then--Gramarye. _Gramarye!_" She flung back
her head and laughed wildly. Then she snatched a ring from her finger
and hurled it on to the ground. "There's the ring you gave me. God
knows why I didn't give it you back yesterday--months ago. I'd reason
enough. I suppose I still hoped.... But now you've killed it. I
don't even care what happens to you. You've messed up my life, you've
messed up your own, and, what's a million times worse, you're doing
your level best to mess up his."

Upon the last words her voice broke piteously, and Andre covered her
eyes. So she stood for a moment, white-faced, her lips tremblin