"Helen would have it; it was her idea!" "If you speak of your daughter again in such a way I will break your neck and throw you into the creek!" He stared a moment, then laughed aloud. "So you are the one--are you? I really thought it was Buttons." "I am the one, Mr. Holbrook. And now I am going to take your brother to your sister. She has asked for him, and she is waiting." Arthur Holbrook came gravely toward us, and I have never been so struck with pity for a man as I was for him. There was a red circle on his brow where Henry's knuckles had cut, but his eyes showed no anger; they were even kind with the tenderness that lies in the eyes of women who have suffered. He advanced a step nearer his brother and spoke slowly and distinctly. "You have nothing to fear, Henry. I shall tell her nothing." "But"--Henry glanced uneasily from Gillespie to me--"Gillespie's notes. They are here among you somewhere. You shall not give them to Pat. If she knew--" "If she knew you would not get a cent," I said, wishing him to know that I knew. He whirled upon me hotly. "You tricked Helen to get them, and now, by God! I want them! I want them!" And he struck at me crazily. I knocked his arm away, but he flung himself upon me, clasping me with his arms. I caught his wrists and held him for a moment. I wished to be done with him and off to Glenarm with Arthur; and he wasted time. "I have that packet you sent Helen to get--I have it--still unopened! Your secret is as safe with me, Mr. Holbrook, as that other secret of yours with your Italian body-guard." His face went white, then gray, and he would have fallen if I had not kept hold of him. "Will you not be decent--reasonable--sane--for an hour, till we can present you as an honorable man to your sister? If you will not, your sailor shall deliver you to the law with his own hands. You delay matters--can't you see that we are your friends, that we are trying to protect you, that we are ready to lie to your sister that we may be rid of you?" I was beside myself with rage and impatient that time must be wasted on him. I did not hear steps on the deck, or Gillespie's quick warning, and I had begun again, still holding Henry Holbrook close to me with one hand. "We expect to deceive your sister--we will lie to her--lie to her--lie to her--" "For God's sake, stop!" cried Arthur Holbrook, clutching my arm. I flung round and faced Miss Pat and Rosalind. They stood for a moment in the doorway; then Miss Pat advanced slowly toward us where we formed a little semi-circle, and as I dropped Henry's wrists the brothers stood side by side. Arthur took a step forward, half murmuring his sister's name; then he drew back and waited, his head bowed, his hands thrust into the side pockets of his coat. In the dead quiet I heard the babble of the creek outside, and when Miss Pat spoke her voice seemed to steal off and mingle with the subdued murmur of the stream.