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returned from their walk she took occasion to find Dunn in the
garden and ask him some trifling question or another。
〃You are interested in chess？〃 she remarked； when he had answered
her。
〃All problems are interesting till one finds the answer to them；〃
he replied。
〃There's one I know of；〃 she retorted。 〃I wish you would solve
for me。〃
〃Tell me what it is；〃 he said quickly。 〃Will you？〃
She shook her head slightly； but she was watching him very intently
from her clear； candid eyes； and now； as always； her nearness to
him； the infinite appeal he found in her every look and movement；
the very fragrance of her hair； bore him away beyond all purpose
and intention。
〃Tell me what it is；〃 he said again。 〃Won't you？ Miss Cayley； if
you and I were to trust each other … it's not difficult to see
there's something troubling you。〃
〃Most people have some trouble or another；〃 she answered evasively。
He came a little nearer to her； and instead of the gruff； harsh
tones he habitually used； his voice was singularly pleasant and low
as he said：
〃People who are in trouble need help； Miss Cayley。 Will you let me
help you？〃
〃You can't；〃 she answered； shaking her head。 〃No one could。〃
〃How can you tell that？〃 he asked eagerly。 〃Perhaps I know more
already than you think。〃
〃I daresay you do；〃 she said slowly。 〃I have thought that a long
time。 Will you tell me one thing？ … Are you his friend or not？〃
There was no need for Dunn to ask to whom the pronoun she used
referred。
〃I am so much not his friend；〃 he answered as quietly and
deliberately as she had spoken。 〃That it's either his life or mine。
At that she drew back in a startled way as though his words had gone
beyond her expectations。
〃How do I know I can trust you？〃 she said presently； half to herself；
half to him。
〃You can；〃 he said； and it was as though he flung the whole of his
enigmatic and vivid personality into those two words。
〃You can；〃 he said again。 〃Absolutely。〃
〃I must think；〃 she muttered； pressing her hands to her head。 〃So
much depends … how can I trust you？ Why should I … why？〃
〃Because I'll trust you first；〃 he answered with a touch of
exultation in his manner。 〃Listen to me and I'll tell you
everything。 And that means I put my life in your hands。 Well；
that's nothing； I would do that any time； but other people's lives
will be in your power； too … yes； and everything I'm here for；
everything。 Now listen。〃
〃Not now；〃 she interrupted sharply。 〃He may be watching； listening
… he generally is。〃 Again there was no need between them to
specify to whom the pronoun referred。 〃Will you meet me tonight
near the sweet…pea border … about nine？〃
She glided away as she spoke without waiting for him to answer； and
as soon as he was free from the magic of her presence； reaction
came and he was torn by a thousand doubts and fears and worse。
〃Why； I'm mad； mad；〃 he groaned。 〃I've no right to tell what I
said I would； no right at all。〃
And again there returned to him his vivid； dreadful memory of how
she had started on that midnight drive with her car so awfully laden。
And again there returned to him his old appalling doubt：
〃Did she not know？〃
And though he would willingly have left his life in her hands； he
knew he had no right to put that of others there； and yet it
seemed to him he must keep the appointment and the promise he had
made。
About nine that evening； then； he made his way to the sweet…pea
border； though； as he went； he resolved that he would not tell her
what he had said he would。
Because he trusted his own strength so little when he was with her；
he confirmed this resolution by an oath he swore to himself： and
even that he was not certain would be a sure protection against the
witchery she wielded。
So it was with a mind doubtful and troubled more than it had ever
been since the beginning of these things that he came to the border
where the sweet…peas grew； and saw a dark shadow already close by
them。
But when he came a little nearer he saw that it was not Ella who
was there but Deede Dawson and his first thought was that she had
betrayed him。
〃That you； Dunn？〃 Deede Dawson hailed him in his usual pleasant；
friendly manner。
〃Yes；〃 Dunn answered warily； keeping himself ready for any
eventuality。
Deede Dawson took a cigar from his pocket and lighted it and offered
one to Dunn； who refused it abruptly。
Deede Dawson laughed at that in his peculiar； mirthless way。
〃Am I being the third that's proverbially no company？〃 he asked。
〃Were you expecting to find some one else here？ I thought I saw a
white frock vanish just as I came up。〃
Dunn made no answer； and Deede Dawson continued after a pause
〃That's why I waited。 You are being just a little bit rapid in
this affair； aren't you？〃
〃I don't know why。 You said something； didn't you？〃 muttered Dunn；
beginning to think that； after all； Deede Dawson's presence here
was due to accident … or rather to his unceasing and unfailing
watchfulness； and not to any treachery of Ella's。
〃Yes； I did； didn't I ？〃 he agreed pleasantly。 〃But you are a
working gardener taken on out of charity to give you a chance and
keep you out of gaol； and you are looking a little high when you
think of your master's ward and daughter； aren't you？〃
〃There was a time when I shouldn't have thought so；〃 answered Dunn。
〃We're talking of the present； my good man；〃 Deede Dawson said
impatiently。 〃If you want the girl you must win her。 It can be
done； but it won't be easy。〃
〃Tell me how；〃 said Dunn。
〃Oh； that's going too fast and too far；〃 answered the other with
his mirthless laugh。 〃Now； there's Mr。 John Clive … what about
him？〃
〃I'll answer for him；〃 replied Dunn slowly and thickly。 〃I've put
better men than John Clive out of my way before today。〃
〃That's the way to talk；〃 cried Deede Dawson。 〃Dunn； dare you play
a big game for big stakes？〃
〃Try me；〃 said Dunn。
〃If I showed you；〃 Deede Dawson's voice sank to a whisper； 〃if I
showed you a pretty girl for a wife … a fortune to win … what would
you say？〃
〃Try me；〃 said Dunn again； and then； making his voice as low and
hoarse as was Dunn's； he asked：
〃Is it Clive？〃
〃Later … perhaps；〃 answered Deede Dawson。 〃There's some one else
… first。 Are you ready？〃
〃Try me；〃 said Dunn for the third time； and as he spoke his quick
ear caught the faint sound of a retreating footstep； and he told
himself that Ella must have lingered near and had perhaps heard all
they said。
〃Try me；〃 he said once more； speaking more loudly and clearly this
time。
CHAPTER XIV
LOVE…MAKING AT NIGHT
Dunn went to his room that night with the feeling that a crisis was
approaching。 And he wished very greatly that he knew how much Ella
had overheard of his talk with her stepfather； and what
interpretation she had put upon it。
He determined that in the morning he would take the very first
opportunity he could find of speaking to her。
But in the morning it appeared that Mrs。 Dawson had had a bad night；
and was very unwell； and Ella hardly stirred from her side all day。
Even when Clive ca