Thresk had no answer to that indictment. All of it was true except its inference, and it was no news to him. He made no effort to defend himself. "You are not very generous, Stella," he replied gently. "For if I lied, I saved you by the lie." Stella was softened by the words. Her voice lost its hardness, she reached out her hand in an apology and laid it on his arm. "Oh, I know. I sent you a little word of thanks when you gave me my freedom. But it won't be of much value to me if I lose--what I am fighting for now." "So you use every weapon?" "Yes." "But this one breaks in your hand," he said firmly. "The thing you think it incredible that I should do I shall do none the less." Stella looked at him in despair. She could no longer doubt that he really meant his words. He was really resolved to make this sacrifice of himself and her. And why? Why should he interfere? "You save me one day to destroy me the next," she said. "No," he replied. "I don't think I shall do that, Stella," and he explained to her what drove him on. "I had no idea why Hazlewood asked me here. Had I suspected it I say frankly that I should have refused to come. But I am here. The trouble's once more at my door but in a new shape. There's this man, young Hazlewood. I can't forget him. You will be marrying him by the help of a lie I told." "He loves me," she cried. "Then he can bear the truth," answered Thresk. He pulled up a chair opposite to that in which Stella sat. "I want you to understand me, if you will. I don't want you to think me harsh or cruel. I told a lie upon my oath in the witness-box. I violated my traditions, I struck at my belief in the value of my own profession, and such beliefs mean a good deal to any man." Stella stirred impatiently. What words were these? Traditions! The value of a profession! "I am not laying stress upon them, Stella, but they count," Thresk continued. "And I am telling you that they count because I am going to add that I should tell that lie again to-morrow, were the trial to-morrow and you a prisoner. I should tell it again to save you again. Yes, to save you. But when you go and--let me put it very plainly--use that lie to your advantage, why then I am bound to cry 'stop.' Don't you see that? You are using the lie to marry a man and keep him in ignorance of the truth. You can't do that, Stella! You would be miserable yourself if you did all your life. You would never feel safe for a moment. You would be haunted by a fear that some day he would learn the truth and not from you. Oh, I am sure of it." He caught her hands and pressed them earnestly. "Tell him, Stella, tell him!" Stella Ballantyne rose to her feet with a strange look upon her face. Her eyes half closed as though to shut out a vision of past horrors. She turned to Thresk with a white face and her hands tightly clenched. "You don't know what happened on that night, after you rode away to catch your train?" "No."