"I--I know you would, Courtney," said she, looking into his eyes. "You were her best friend. She adored you. I know you would,--God bless you!" He looked away. His gaze fell upon Alix, standing in the door. His eyes brightened. The hunted expression left them. An eager, hungry light came into them. She was staring at him. Gradually he came to the realization that she was looking at him with unspeakable horror. Mrs. Vick was speaking. He hardly heard a word she uttered. "It was kind of you to come, Courtney. Thank you. I must go now. I--I can't stand it,--I can't stand it!" She left him abruptly. Alix stood aside to allow her to pass through the door. They heard her go up the stairs, heavily, hurriedly. "Alix!" he whispered, holding out his hands. She did not move. "I went up to the house to see you," he hurried on. "They told me you were here. I--" Her gesture checked the eager words. "You snake!" She fairly hissed the word. He drew back, speechless. She came a few steps nearer. "You snake!" she repeated, her eyes blazing. "Wha--What do you mean?" he gasped, a fiery red rushing to his face. "Would you have died for the Ritter girl?" A bomb exploding at his feet could not have produced a greater shock. His mouth fell open; the colour swiftly receded, leaving his face a sickly white. "Who the hell--" he began blankly. "Be good enough to remember where you are," cried Alix, lowering her voice as she glanced over her shoulder. "I can say all I have to say to you in a very few words, Mr. Thane. Don't interrupt me. I have been a fool,--a stupid fool. We need not go into that. Thank heaven, I happen to be made of a little stronger stuff than others who have come under your influence. You would have MARRIED me,--yes, I believe that,--because it would have been the only way. I have the complete history of your betrayal of the Ritter girl. I know how your leg was injured. I know that you were kicked out of the American Ambulance and advised to leave France. I don't believe you ever served in the British Army. I have every reason to believe that you poisoned my dog, and that you,--were the man who came to my window the other night. And I suspect that you are the cause of poor Rosabel Vick's suicide. Now you know what I think of you. My God, how could you have come here tonight? These people trusted you,--they still trust you. Until now I did not believe such men as you existed. You--" "I had nothing, absolutely nothing to do with Rosabel," he cried hoarsely. He was trembling like a leaf. "Don't you go putting such ideas into their heads. Don't you--"