Richard believed her capable of this hard-hearted thing and went on
loving her blindly in spite of it. But as for me, I said I would never
give belief an inch of standing-room; that had I stood in Ephraim
Yeates's shoes, having the witness of my own eyes and ears, I would
still have found excuse and exculpation for her.

I stole a glance at Jennifer. He was sitting with his face in his hands,
a silent figure of a strong man humbled. He had called her a Delilah,
and the green withes of her binding cut sore into the flesh.

"You say you love her, Dick; can you believe her capable of this, and
yet go on loving her?" I asked.

He let me see his face. It was haggard and grief-marred.

"I'd pay the devil's own price could I say 'no' to that, Jack. But I can
not."

"Then I swear I love her better than you do, Richard Jennifer. She hates
me well--God knows she has good cause to hate me fiercely; yet I would
trust her with my life."

I looked to see him pin me down at this; and though the words had
fairly shaped and said themselves, I laid fast hold of my courage and
was prepared to make them good. But he would only smile and draw the
bearskin cover over me, tucking me in as tenderly as a mother, and
saying very gently:

"So she has bewitched you, too; and now there are two poor fools of love
instead of one. But you are stronger than I, Jack. You will break the