"That of course was not so," said Max deliberately. "She was responsible from first to last. She knew of the taint in her veins. He did not--till he detected it." "Rather hard on her!" remarked Nick. "Would you have married her?" The green eyes fixed him with sudden stern intentness. Nick blinked rapidly for a few seconds. "I daren't answer that question," he said at length. "You see, I'm not a doctor." Max rose abruptly. "Are doctors the only beings whoever think of the next generation?" he asked bitterly. "There is a saying," said Nick, "that 'Love conquers all things.'" "Pshaw!" said Max. "It never conquered heredity." "I withdraw the proposition," said Nick. "But, I say, Wyndham!" He paused. "Well?" Max swung round aggressively with hands in his pockets. "Suppose the woman you loved developed that disease--would you throw her over?" Nick spoke tentatively. Max flung back his head and stared at the ceiling. "Why do you ask?" "Because I want to know what you are made of," replied Nick with simplicity. Max turned and slowly walked to the window. "Yes," he said, with his back turned, "I should." Nick was silent. After a moment Max glanced round at him. "You wouldn't, I suppose?" "No," said Nick. "You would marry her regardless of the consequences?" "If I were an ordinary man--perhaps," said Nick. "If I were a doctor--" he paused--"if I were a doctor, Max," he said again with a sudden smile, "I think I should tackle the situation from another standpoint. Either way, if she loved me and I loved her, I would marry her. As to the consequences--there wouldn't be any." Max grunted. "Of course you are the exception to every rule." "Who told you that?" thrust in Nick. "It's been dinned into me ever since I met you." Half-churlishly Max made reply, and turning fell to pacing the room with the measured tread of one trained to step warily. "And you believe it?" Nick leaned back in his chair peering forth through eyes half-closed. "I do--more or less." "Thanks!" said Nick. "And how goes the courtship?" Max frowned heavily, without speaking. "Pardon my asking," said Nick, "and consider the question answered!" Max stopped squarely in front of him. "It doesn't go," he said briefly. Nick's glance darted over him for an instant. "What method have you been employing? Coercion? Persuasion? Indifference? Or strategy?" Max's hands showed clenched inside his pockets. "I'm leaving her alone," he growled. "Then change your tactics at once!" said Nick. "Try an advance!" "That's just the mischief. In the present damnable state of affairs, I am powerless. Violet Campion is hating me pretty badly, and--she--is thinking it clever to follow suit. She is avoiding me like the plague." "That's sometimes a good sign," said Nick thoughtfully. "Not in this case. It only means she is afraid of me." Nick's glance flashed up at him again. "For any special reason?" "I have given her none." "Violet again?" queried Nick. "Probably."