"He turned and went out. That is the last time I've seen him. I sailed on the Celtic three days later, and came straight home--to my mother's house, that is. I told her everything. I have told you, Montague; I owed it to you because of old times, and because you have not forgotten them. It was a brave thing you did, you and Burgoyne--though I fancy that you led off and he only followed after. But to not another shall I ever voluntarily open my lips on this matter." "That is the wisest course, I think," he approved. "There is no excuse for my conduct, according to the standards of society," she admitted--"nor shall I attempt to excuse it. My defence is worthless, as a defence. When I left with Amherst I was never coming back. We were to be married as soon as we were free. We thought both the others would divorce us at once. At least that was what _I_ thought--and what Amherst _said_. I realize now that it was only a subterfuge with him; he wanted to get me off for a while and try me. It's nice to think, isn't it? And when he had tried me for a few months, he tired of me and tossed me aside like an old toy. I ought to have known that I was simply a new plaything for him, and was to last as long." "You poor child!" said Pendleton. "Your mistake was in not appraising Amherst at his proper value. He is pure cad; and you didn't know it until--after." She shook her head. "He showed me only his nice side," she said. "I thought him the most fascinating, the most gallant, the most dignifiedly handsome man that I had ever met. Did the men know him for a cad?" "Some of them did." "Did you?" He nodded. "If you had only warned me!" she sighed. "What good would it have done? You would have scorned advice--resented it. Though I think I would have risked it had I the least notion of whither you were tending." "I wish you had risked it!" she exclaimed. "It might have made me realize what I was doing. I had no one but Lorraine to depend on." "You had yourself, Stephanie." "Myself was the one thing I ought not have had," she replied. "Lorraine should have taken me away--out of temptation. If need be he should have knocked me down with a club like a cave man and dragged me out of Amherst's clutches." "Again what good would that have done? You would only have panted for Amherst the more, and have gone to him at the first opportunity." "It would have saved me--and I would have seen Amherst then for what he is--a coward." He shook his head. "You think now that you would, but I doubt it," he replied. "No one can say what would have happened, if what did happen hadn't happened. Moreover, while as you know I have little enough respect for Lorraine, yet hadn't he the right to suppose you would do the conventional thing rather than the unconventional? Did he have any cause to suspect you and Amherst?"