“Oh,” said Jason. “I see you are set for confidences and that I’m in the way. I’ll go out for a walk.” “Stop!” I cried, turning on him once more. “Go, as far as I am concerned, and God grant I may never see your face again. But understand one thing. Keep out of the way of the man I fought with just now for your sake. He promised, but even the promises of good and just men may fail under temptation. Keep out of his way, I warn you--now and always.” “I’m obliged to you,” he answered, in a high-strung voice; “it seems to be a choice of evils. I prefer evil anyway in the open air.” I said not a word more and he left us, and I heard the front door close on him. Then I turned to Zyp with an agony I could not control, and she was crooning over her baby. “Zyp, I oughtn’t to say it, I know. But--oh, Zyp! I thought all these years you might be waiting for me.” “Hush, Renny! You wrote so seldom, and--and I was a changeling, you know, and longed for light and pleasure. And he seemed to promise them--he was so beautiful, and so loving when he chose.” “And you married him?” “Dad wouldn’t hear of it. Sometimes I think, Renny, he was your champion--dad, I mean--and wanted to keep me for you; and the very suspicion made me rebellious. And in the end, we were married at a registrar’s office, there in Winton, unknown to anybody.” “How long ago was that?” “It was last February and sometime in August dad found it out and there was a scene. So Jason brought me to London.” “Why, what was he doing to keep a wife?” “I know nothing about that. Such things never enter my head, I think. He always seemed to have money. Perhaps dad gave it to him. He was afraid of Jason, I’m sure.” “Zyp, why didn’t you ever--why did none of you ever write to me about this?” “Why, dad wrote, Renny! I know he did, the day we left. He wanted you to come home again, now he was alone.” “To come home? I never got the letter.” “But he wrote, I’m certain, and didn’t Jason tell you?” “He told me nothing--I didn’t even know he was married till yesterday.” I bent over the young wife as she sat rocking her baby. “Zyp, I must go. My heart is very full of misery and confusion. I must walk it off or sleep it off, or I think perhaps I shall go mad.” “Did you love that girl, Renny?” “No, Zyp. I have never had but one love in my life; and that I must say no more about. I have to speak to you, however, about one who did--a fierce, strong man, and utterly reckless when goaded to revenge. He is a fellow-workman of mine--he used to be my best friend--and, Zyp, his whole unselfish heart was given to this poor girl. But it was her happiness he strove after, and when he fancied that was centered in me--not him--he sacrificed himself and urged me to win. And I should have tried, for I was very lonely in the world, but that Jason--you know the truth already, Zyp--Jason came and took her from me; that was three months ago, and last night she drowned herself.”