her to disobey the mandate of those eyes. Lord Astar bowed and made way for her.
"I shall not forget," he said very low.
Blake piloted her down the stairs of the grand stand. When they stood on the lawn, he turned and said deliberately, "Lady Horace is not in the saddling paddock. I don't know in the least where she is, and she did not send me for you. I brought you here to tell you that you must not accept presents from Lord Astar."
"Surely," said Elsie, bitterly, "that can be of very little consequence to you."
"No, it is not of consequence to me," he answered, "but it is of consequence to yourself. I know Lord Astar. I know the sort of reputation he has in regard to women. You compromise your reputation by allowing him to pay you the attentions which have been making you so conspicuous these last few days. Please take my word for this. He is a more dangerous opponent in the game which we have been playing than I have been. Don't play that game with him; the consequences may be disagreeable."
"In what way?"
"In this—Astar is quite capable of insulting a woman who places herself in a false position."
"And you," she cried passionately, "have you not shown yourself capable of insulting a woman who was fool enough to place herself at your mercy?"
He turned very pale. An impetuous answer rose to his lips. He uttered one vehement word and checked himself.
"I beg your pardon," he said, "I have nothing else to say. I have no justification for the impulse that made me take you in my arms that night. I can only ask you to believe that there has never been in my mind a disrespectful thought of you. And then" he paused and went on in a different tone, "the situation was understood between us. It had been a challenge. There had been an open fight, and I had suffered severely enough to make me feel a savage wish to show you that you were beaten."
