“To lay down one’s life for a friend is fine. I’m not sure that it’s finer to offer one’s honour in behalf of a girl whose honour is at stake.” After a moment Cleves’s grip tightened. “All right,” he said. Recklow went downstairs. CHAPTER VI IN BATTLE Cleves went back into the apartment; he noticed that Miss Norne’s door was ajar. To get to his own room he had to pass that way; and he saw her, seated before the mirror, partly undressed, her dark, lustrous hair being combed out and twisted up for the night. Whether this carelessness was born of innocence or of indifference mattered little; he suddenly realised that these conditions wouldn’t do. And his first feeling was of anger. “If you’ll put on your robe and slippers,” he said in an unpleasant voice, “I’d like to talk to you for a few moments.” She turned her head on its charming neck and looked around and up at him over one naked shoulder. “Shall I come into your room?” she inquired. “No!... when you’ve got some clothes on, call me.” “I’m quite ready now,” she said calmly, and drew the Chinese slippers over her bare feet and passed a silken loop over the silver bell buttons on her right shoulder. Then, undisturbed, she continued to twist up her hair, following his movements in the mirror with unconcerned blue eyes. He entered and seated himself, the impatient expression still creasing his forehead and altering his rather agreeable features. “Miss Norne,” he said, “you’re absolutely convinced that these people mean to do you harm. Isn’t that true?” “Of course,” she said simply. “Then, until we get them, you’re running a serious risk. In fact, you live in hourly peril. That is your belief, isn’t it?” She put the last peg into her thick, curly hair, lowered her arms, turned, dropped one knee over the other, and let her candid gaze rest on him in silence. “What I mean to explain,” he said coldly, “is that as long as I induced you to go into this affair I’m responsible for you. If I let you out of my sight here in New York and if anything happens to you, I’ll be as guilty as the dirty beast who takes your life. What is your opinion? It’s up to me to stand by you now, isn’t it?” “I had rather be near you—for a while,” she said timidly. “Certainly. But, Miss Norne, our living here together, in my apartment—or living together anywhere else—is never going to be understood by other people. You know that, don’t you?” After a silence, still looking at him out of clear unembarrassed eyes: “I know.... But ... I don’t want to die.” “I told you,” he said sharply, “they’ll have to kill me first. So that’s all right. But how about what I am doing to your reputation?” “I understand.” “I suppose you do. You’re very young. Once out of this blooming mess, you will have all your life before you. But if I kill your reputation for you while saving your body from death, you’ll find no happiness in living. Do you realise that?” “Yes.”