"I'm coming up to the balcony," he said. "I want to talk." Pamela went inside and passed up the stairs to her room. She took off her hat and gloves, and went out on to the balcony, and sat in the shade, waiting for him. He was not long in joining her. He drew a chair up close to hers and sat down. "Now," he said, "we'll dispose of this matter finally. My time is short. I intend to take the evening train to Johannesburg, unless, of course, you change your mind; and then--" "You'll take the evening train, dear," she said quietly. He glanced at her sharply. "You mean that?" he said. "That's your final answer, Pamela?" "Yes; that's my final answer." "So be it," he replied, and looked away again, out across the busy, sunny street. "It doesn't alter anything," he added presently, speaking in sharp, crisp tones that disguised whatever emotion swayed him at the moment. "Matters stand between us as they were. When you find life too hard, you'll send for me. I shall be able to judge from the tone of your letters how things go with you. In the meantime--save for one occasion--we shall not meet again." Pamela drew a deep breath, and for a time sat very still, her white face tense and miserable, her eyes staring blankly into space. In her mind, like a refrain, his words were repeating themselves again and again, conveying, somehow, little sense of meaning: "In the meantime--save for one occasion--we shall not meet again." Abruptly their full significance broke upon her. She turned to him quickly. "What occasion?" she asked. Dare sat back in his seat, contemplating her gravely. "I've been thinking," he said, "all the way coming up, and again this morning, about the girl--Blanche Maitland. We haven't finished with her," he added, noting Pamela's startled look. "Of course if you had decided differently, that would have been a matter we need not have concerned ourselves with. As things are, however, we have got to put it beyond her power to do you any injury. There is only one way that I can see to prevent that. Your marriage must take place as soon as possible." "But," Pamela began, and paused dismayed... "I couldn't bear--" "No," he interposed quickly. "I know what you are feeling. We'll manage it as secretly as possible. It may be necessary to move him from that place. I think it will be necessary. We'll need to take the doctor into our confidence--to a certain extent. We'll suppress the former marriage altogether, I think." "Oh!" she said, and covered her eyes with her hand, and remained quiet. He watched her keenly. "If you leave it to me," he said, "I think I can manage it so that you won't find it very humiliating. Then, if the girl turns up, you are better prepared to face her. I fancy there won't be much difficulty in squaring her. She isn't out for revenge." He leaned forward and laid a hand warmly upon hers.