"I have made a mess of this from the beginning," said Donnegan, quietly. "In the first place, I intended to play the role of the self-sacrificing. You don't understand? I didn't expect that you would. In short, I intended to send Landis back to Lou by making a flash that would dazzle The Corner, and dazzle Nelly Lebrun as well--win her away from Landis, you see? But the fool, as soon as he saw that I was flirting with the girl, lowered his head and charged at me like a bull. I had to strike him down in self-defense. "But now you ask me to put him wholly in your possession. Colonel, you omit one link in your chain of reasoning. The link is important--to me. What am I to gain by placing him within the range of your whispering?" "Tush! Do I need to tell you? I still presume you are interested in Lou, though you attempted to do so much to give Landis back to her. Well, Donnegan, you must know that when she learns it was a bullet from your gun that struck down Landis, she'll hate you, my boy, as if you were a snake. But if she knows that after all you were forced into the fight, and that you took the first opportunity to bring Jack into my--er--paternal care--her sentiments may change. No, they will change." Donnegan left his chair and began to pace the floor. He was no more self-conscious in the presence of the colonel than a man might be in the presence of his own evil instincts. And it was typical of the colonel's insight that he made no attempt to influence the decision of Donnegan after this point was reached. He allowed him to work out the matter in his own way. At length, Donnegan paused. "What's the next step?" he asked. The colonel sighed, and by that sigh he admitted more than words could tell. "A reasonable man," he said, "is the delight of my heart. The next step, Donnegan, is to bring Jack Landis to this house." "Tush!" said Donnegan. "Bring him away from Lebrun? Bring him away from the tigers of Lord Nick's gang? I saw them at Milligan's place tonight. A bad set, Colonel Macon." "A set you can handle," said the colonel, calmly. "Ah?" "The danger will in itself be the thing that tempts you," he went on. "To go among those fellows, wild as they are, and bring Jack Landis away to this house." "Bring him here," said Donnegan with indescribable bitterness, "so that she may pity his wounds? Bring him here where she may think of him and tend him and grow to hate me?" "Grow to fear you," said the colonel. "An excellent thing to accomplish," said Donnegan coldly. "I have found it so," remarked the colonel, and lighted a cigarette.