"He's rich," he returned with a sneer.
All the time I was trying to goad him I was getting more worked up
myself. "That's not it!" I answered angrily. "Nobody knows it better
than you. She's sound to the core. It's only your black temper that
sees evil in her!"
"Then how do you explain Mount?" he asked.
"That's her instinct," I said. "It would be any good woman's instinct.
She's trying to persuade herself that she loves him to fill the
horrible emptiness of her heart since you failed her."
"I fail her?" he said with his eyebrows making two peaks.
"Precisely. You have no right to allow her to go on thinking that you
are guilty."
"I don't care to go into that again," he said with his immovable
stubbornness.
"If there is a catastrophe it will be your fault," I cried.
"Really, as I've told you often, you've missed your vocation, Ben," he
said with his bitter smile. "You're so romantic. Let's change the
subject."
"I won't," I cried. "I'm glad I'm romantic, if that's what it is. I
love her a sight better than you ever did, because I have no hopes
there myself. I am thinking of her. You think of nothing but yourself
and your childish pride!"
"Bravo, Ben!" he said mockingly.
"I can't stand aside and see her marry Mount. He's too old. There's
an evil spot in him some place that I can't put my finger on."
"Well, what are you going to do about it?"
"I came to you to get you to let me off my promise to say nothing."
That roused him as nothing else could. He sprang up, his face dark
with passion. He actually threatened me with his fist.
"You swore to me!" he cried. "By God! if you break your oath----"
"Keep your hair on," I said. "Am I not here asking you to let me off?"
"I will not let you off," he said. "This is my affair, and mine
only----"
"How about her?" I put in.
He did not hear me.
"You mean to be my friend, but friendship has no right to dictate
another man's private affairs. I lead my life as I have to. You lead
yours. No interference. That's the only way we can be friends. The
only way you can help me in this is by bringing the thieves to book."
"But that's going to be a long chase," I groaned. "Meanwhile Mount is
making hay. What's the use of publishing the truth if the mischief is
already done?"