"Where are you going to?" Cecil asked. "Engleton is not fit to walk anywhere." "I am going to take him back home with me," Kate answered. "Oh, I can get him there all right. I am not afraid of that. He will have plenty of strength to walk away from this place." "It is impossible, my dear Kate," Cecil answered. "Take my advice. Leave him to us. We will deal with him reasonably enough. Kate, listen." He passed his arm through hers and drew her a little on one side. "Kate," he said, "I'm afraid I haven't behaved exactly well to you. I got up in London amongst a lot of people who seemed to look at things so differently, and there were distractions, and I'm afraid that I forgot some of my promises. But I have never forgotten you. Why do you take the part of that miserable creature over there? He is just a young simpleton, who, because he was half drunk, dared to accuse us of cheating. We were obliged to keep him shut up until he took it back. Leave him to us. He shall come to no harm. I give you my word, and I will never forget it." Kate looked at him a little curiously. "Will you keep your promise?" she asked curiously. Cecil hesitated, but only for a minute. "Yes," he said, "I will even do that." She withdrew her arm firmly, but without haste. "Is that all you have to say?" she asked. "I offer you my promise," he answered. "Isn't that worth something?" "Something," she answered, "not much. I want no more to do with you, Mr. Cecil de la Borne. Don't think you can make terms with me for you can't. I only hope that you get punished for what you have done." Cecil raised his hand as though about to strike her. "You little cat!" he exclaimed. "We'll see the thing through, then. You are prisoners here just as much as though you were in the vault." Forrest, who had spoken very little, came suddenly forward. "We have talked too much," he said, "and wasted too much time. Let us have the issue before us in black and white. Engleton, are you well enough to understand what I say?" "Perfectly," Engleton answered. "Go on." "Will you sign a retraction of your charges against us, and pledge your word of honour never to repeat them, or to make any complaint, formal or otherwise, as to your detention here." "I'm d----d if I will!" Engleton answered. "Consider what your refusal means first," Forrest said. "Open the passage door, Cecil." Cecil pushed it back, and a little breath of the noxious odour stole into the room. "You either make us that promise, Engleton," he said, "or as sure as I'm standing here, we'll drag you both down that passage, right to the end, and throw you into the sea." "And hang for it afterwards," Engleton said, with a sneer.