"Don't be too sure of that. He is your husband. When I came to Mount Royal, I came resolved to win you." "Only because I had deceived you. The woman you admired was a living lie. Oh, if you could have looked into my heart only yesterday, you must have shrunk from me with loathing. When I led you on to play the seducer's part, I was plotting murder--murder which I called justice. I knew that Leonard was listening--I had so planned that he should follow us to the Kieve. I heard his stealthy footsteps, and the rustle of the boughs--you were too much engrossed to listen; but all my senses were strained, and I knew the very moment of his coming." "It was a pity you did not let your drama come to its natural dénouement," sneered de Cazalet, furious with the first woman who had ever completely fooled him. "When your husband was dead--for there is not much doubt as to my killing him--you and I could have come to an understanding. You must have had some gratitude. However, I am not bloodthirsty, and since Mrs. Tregonell has cheated me out of my devotion, fooled me with day-dreams of an impossible future, I don't see that I should gain much by shooting Mr. Tregonell." "No, there would be no good to you in that profitless bloodshed. It is I who have wronged you--I who wilfully deceived you--degrading myself in order to lure my husband into a fatal quarrel--tempting you to kill him. Forgive me, if you can--and forget this wild wicked dream. Conscience and reason came back to me beside that quiet grave to-night. What good could it do him who lies there that blood should be spilt for his sake? Monsieur de Cazalet, if you will give up all idea of this duel I will be grateful to you for the rest of my life." "You have treated me very cruelly," said the Baron, taking both her hands, and looking into her eyes, half in despairing love, half in bitterest anger; "you have fooled me as never man was fooled before, I think--tricked me--and trifled with me--and I owe you very little allegiance. If you and I were in South America I would show you very little mercy. No, my sweet one, I would make you play out the game--you should finish the drama you began--finish it in my fashion. But in this world of yours, hemmed round with conventionalities, I am obliged to let you off easily. As for your husband--well, I have exposed my life too often to the aim of a six-shooter to be called coward if I let this one opportunity slip. He is nothing to me--or I to him--since you are nothing to me. He may go--and I may go. I will leave a line to tell him that we have both been the dupes of a pretty little acted charade, devised by his wife and her friends--and instead of going to meet him at Trebarwith, I'll drive straight to Launceston, and catch the early train. Will that satisfy you, Mrs. Tregonell?" "I thank you with all my heart and soul--you have saved me from myself." "You are a much better man than I thought you, Baron," said Jessie, speaking for the first time.