marriage or out of it--the throat-cutting goes on, for men are made
of destructive stuff and love the sport of killing. They are never
satisfied unless they can kill something--a bird, a fox or a woman.
I'm a man myself and I know!"

"YOU would kill a woman?" Manella's voice was a horrified whisper.

Gwent laughed.

"No,--not I, my child! I'm too old. I've done with love-making and
'sport' of all kinds. I don't even drive a golf-ball, in make-
believe that it's a woman I'm hitting as fast and far as I can. Oh,
yes!--you stare!--you are wondering why, if I have such ideas, I
should suggest love-making and marriage to YOU,--well, I don't
actually recommend it!--but I'm rather thinking more of your 'god'
than of you. You might possibly help him a bit--"

"Ah, I am not clever!" sighed Manella.

"No--you're not clever--thank God for it! But you're devoted--and
devotion is sometimes more than cleverness." He paused,
reflectively. "Well, I'll have to go away tomorrow--it wouldn't be
any use my staying on here. In fact, I'd rather be out of the way.
But I've a notion I may be able to do something for Seaton in
Washington when I get back--in the meantime I'll leave a letter for
you to give him--"

"You will not write of me in that letter!" interrupted the girl,
hastily. "No--you must not--you could not!---"