"Jack," said Rendel, "it's no good talking about it. I'll tell you another time, I daresay, if I can. Leave me alone now, there's a good fellow--that's all I want." "Look here, Frank," said Wentworth; "if it's anything--anything that Stamfordham thinks you've done--that--that you oughtn't to have done--well, I don't believe it, that's all!" "You are a good friend, old Jack," said Rendel, looking at him. "I might have known you wouldn't believe it." "Of course I don't," said Wentworth stoutly. "I don't know what it is, but I don't believe it all the same." "Well," said Rendel slowly, "I'll tell you this for your comfort--you needn't believe it." "Of course not," said Wentworth heartily, "and I don't care what it is, of course you didn't do it. And what's more, I know you can't have done anything to be ashamed of, and of course other people will know it too," he said sanguinely, carried along by his zealous friendship. Rendel's face turned dark red again. "No," he said, "other people won't. Of course other people will think I have done it. Don't let's talk about it now. The fact is," mastering his voice with an effort, "I can't, Jack. Just go away, and leave me alone. I'll come back some time." "But what are you going to do? You're not going to sit here all day, I suppose." "I'll come later," Rendel said. "You must find your way back without me, there's a good fellow. By the way," he added, "I'm sorry to have spoilt your day; I'm afraid you've had no luncheon. But you'll be back in Schleppenheim in time to get some. Look here, would you mind saying to my wife that--that I've walked a little further than you cared to go, or something of that sort, and that I'll be back at dinner time?" "Very well," said Wentworth, hesitatingly. "She is not likely to be anxious, is she?" he said dubiously. "I mean, at your being away so long. She won't be alarmed, will she?" "Oh no," said Rendel. "That is to say, if you don't alarm her." And then looking up and seeing Wentworth's anxious expression, so very unlike the usual one, "And you needn't be alarmed yourself, Jack; I'm not going to do anything desperate," he said, forcing a smile; "that's not in my line." "No, no, of course not," Wentworth said, with a sort of air of being entirely at his ease. And then reading in Rendel's face how the one thing he longed for was to be alone, he said abruptly, "All right, then, we shall meet later," and strode off the way he had come.