Randal’s, and he stood up; and the silence between the two men was tense and dangerous as a drawn wire-rope.
“Well?” said Scannell at last.
Randal would not lie for himself.
“I have kissed her—against her will.”
“By Jove, but we’ll have to have her in to settle that,” cried Art, springing up.
Randal’s back was to the shut door, and his drawn face flamed.
“Haven’t you insulted your sister enough already, you young brute?” he said.
Scannell looked on the two, and the man in him felt sudden strong pity for the other man.
“Go back to your seat, Arthur,” he said. “You at least do not know what is due to your sister. Randal, you leave Mains to-night, and the district to-morrow. I think I can expect so much of you. You were a gentleman once.”
“Once,” said Randal, and laughed. “That’s a thing a man can’t get back, you know.”
“It depends on the man. You can prove the contrary now.”
Randal knew his limitations. He had beaten them out through too many nights and days.
“I can’t,” he said.
”That means———?”
“It means that I will not leave the district,” said Randal.
Scannell sat down and wrote a cheque with hands that shook. He ripped out the leaf, and
