Jim rashly became aggressively virtuous. "I've not been a bad sort of husband to you, Leah." "I have seen so little of you that it is rather difficult for me to give an opinion," she said, resting her elbow on the mantelpiece. "Mrs. Berring may be in a better position to judge of your virtues." Kaimes turned white with emotion, and he rose from his low chair as though worked by springs. "It's a lie," he growled hoarsely. "I never married her." "Married who?" "The lady you talk about." "The lady Mr. Askew talked about, you mean. I merely mention her name." "It is not her name. She is Lola Fajardo." "Of the Estancia, San Jago. So Mr. Askew explained." "Oh, if you're goin' to make a row----" "Do I ever make rows?" asked Lady Jim, impatiently. "You don't care enough about me to raise Cain," said Jim, rather sorry for himself. "I swear I'd be a different man, if you were a different woman." "Every husband in the divorce court witness-box makes the same excuse. Sit down, Jim, and let us talk over the matter quietly. Your infidelities have long since converted us from man and wife into a business firm to earn money." "But, Leah, I swear----" "By that soul you know nothing about?" she flashed out contemptuously. "Talk sense, if you are capable of doing so. You have been trying to dodge this explanation ever since you met Mr. Askew last night, in the smoking-room. But now that we've stumbled on an opening, perhaps you will explain." "Explain what?" "All that Mr. Askew did _not_ tell me." "Oh, he's been makin' somethin' out of nothin', the silly ass," protested Jim, sitting down and handling the poker with a fervent wish that he could use it on the sailor's head. "I met Señorita Fajardo at Lima, and later at Buenos Ayres. Her brother asked me out to their estancia in the camp of Argentina, near Rosario, and I stopped there for a month. Bit of luck came my way, an' I pulled her from under a beastly mustang, that would have kicked the life out of her. She took a fancy to me, 'cause I saved her life." "Is that all?" "Well, I went again to San Jago, last year----" "Your third visit to South America since our marriage." "Yes," said Jim, sullenly; "an' I met Lola--I mean Señorita Fajardo." "Oh, don't apologise. Lola is a pretty name." "An' she's a pretty woman, an' I'm flesh an' blood," cried Jim, getting up to work himself into a rage. "I met her durin' my second visit, an' went again to the estancia on my third. It was no use luggin' a title round, for these mouldy hotel-keepers always make a chap pay for havin' a handle to his name, so I called myself Berring--James Berring." "James Berring, bachelor." "Bachelor, certainly. I haven't married her, and if Askew says I have, he's a liar." "And assuredly a marplot," said Leah, dryly, "since he has exploded your romance. I understood from him that this lady loves you." "So she does." "And you love her?" Jim wriggled. "Oh, go on--go on! Kick a chap when he's down!"