第11章

"No，"shesaidpassionately，tearingupthepaperandthrowingitathisfeet；"notasYOUunderstandit——andneverYOURS!Youhavedebasedandpollutedeverythingconnectedwithit，asyouwouldhavedebasedandpollutedME。Outofmypresencethatyouareinsulting——outoftheroomofthemanwhosemagnanimityyoucannotunderstand!"

Thedestructionoftheguaranteeapparentlystunghimmorethanthewordsthataccompaniedit。Hedidnotrelapseagainintohisformershamefacedterror，butasamalignantglittercameintohiseyes，heregainedhiscoolness。

"Itmaynotbesodifficultforotherstounderstand，MissNevil，"

hesaid，withpolishedinsolence，"andasBobRushbrook"sgenerositytoprettywomenisalreadyamatterofsuspicion，perhapsyouarewisetodestroythatrecordofit。"

"Coward!"saidGrace，"standasideandletmepass!"Shesweptbyhimtothedoor。ButitopeneduponRushbrook"sre-entrance。Hestoodforaninstantglancingatthepair，andthenonthefragmentsofthepaperthatstrewedthefloor。Then，stillholdingthedoorinhishand，hesaidquietly:——

"Onemomentbeforeyougo，MissNevil。Ifthisistheresultofanymisunderstandingastothepresenceofanotherwomanhere，incompanywithMr。Somers，itisonlyfairtohimtosaythatthatwomanishereasafriendofMINE，notofhis，andIaloneamresponsible。"

Gracehalted，andturnedthecoldsteelofherproudeyesonthetwomen。AstheyrestedonRushbrooktheyquiveredslightly。"I

canalreadybearwitness，"shesaidcoldly，"tothegenerosityofMr。Rushbrookinamatterwhichthentouchedme。ButtherecertainlyisnonecessityforhimtoshowitnowinamatterinwhichIhavenottheslightestconcern。"

AsshesweptoutoftheroomandwasreceivedintherespectableshadowofthewaitingJames，RushbrookturnedtoSomers。

"AndI"Mafraiditwon"tdo——forLeytonsawyou，"hesaidcurtly。

"Now，then，shutthatdoor，foryouandI，JackSomers，haveawordtosaytoeachother。"

Whatthatwordwas，andhowitwassaidandreceived，isnotapartofthisrecord。ButitistoldthatitwasthebeginningofthatmightyIliad，stillrememberedofmen，whichshookthefinancialcampsofSanFrancisco，anddividedthemintobittercontendingparties。ForwhenitbecameknownthenextdaythatSomershadsuddenlyabandonedRushbrook，andcarriedovertoapowerfulforeigncapitalistthesecretmethods，andeven，itwasbelieved，theLUCKofhislateemployer，itwascertainthattherewouldbewartotheknife，andthatitwasnolongerastruggleofrivalenterprise，butofvindictivemen。

CHAPTERVII

ForayearthebattlebetweentheSomersfactionandthegiantbutsolitaryRushbrookragedfiercely，withvaryingsuccess。IgrievetosaythattheprotegesandparasitesofMaecenasdesertedhiminabody；nay，theyopenlyallegedthatitwasthetrueartisticnatureandrefinementofSomersthathadalwaysattractedthem，andthatamanlikeRushbrook，whoboughtpicturesbytheyard，——

equallyoftheunknownstrugglingartistandthefamousmasters，——

wasnotruepatronofArt。Rushbrookmadenoattempttorecoverhislostprestige，andonce，whensqueezedintoatight"corner，"

andforcedtorealizeonhistreasures，heputthemupatauctionandthepeoplecalledthem"daubs；"theirrageknewnobounds。ItwasthenthatanunfetteredpressdiscoveredthatRushbrookneverwasaMaecenasatall，grimlydeprecatedhisassumptionofthattitle，andevendoubtedifheweretrulyamillionaire。Itwasatthistimethatafewstoodbyhim——notably，themillinventorfromSiskyou，grownplethoricwithsuccess，buteventuallygroundbetweentheupperandnethermillstoneoftheSomersandRushbrookparty。MissNevilhadreturnedtotheAtlanticStateswithMrs。

Leyton。WhilerumorshadplayedfreelywiththerelationsofSomersandtheSignoraasthepossiblecauseoftherupturebetweenhimandRushbrook，nomentionhadeverbeenmadeofthenameofMissNevil。

Itwasrainingheavilyoneafternoon，whenMr。RushbrookdrovefromhisofficetohisSanFranciscohouse。Thefiercestruggleinwhichhewasengagedlefthimlittletimeforhospitality，andforthelasttwoweekshishousehadbeencomparativelydeserted。Hepassedthroughtheemptyrooms，changedinlittleexcepttheabsenceofsomevaluablemonstrositieswhichhadgonetoreplenishhiscapital。Whenhereachedhisbedroom，hepausedamomentattheopendoor。

"James!"

"Yes，sir，"saidJames，appearingoutoftheshadow。

"Whatareyouwaitingfor?"

"Ithoughtyoumightbewantingsomething，sir。"

"Youwerewaitingtherethismorning；youwereintheante-roomofmystudywhileIwaswriting。YouwereoutsidetheblueroomwhileIsatatbreakfast。Youwereatmyelbowinthedrawing-roomlatelastnight。Now，James，"continuedMr。Rushbrook，withhisusualgravedirectness，"Idon"tintendtocommitsuicide；Ican"taffordit，sokeepyourtimeandyourrestforyourself——youwantit——

that"sagoodfellow。"

"Yes，sir。"

"James!"

"Yes，sir。"

Rushbrookextendedhishand。Therewasthatfaint，raresmileonhishandsomemouth，forwhichJameswouldatanytimehavelaiddownhislife。Butheonlysilentlygraspedhismaster"shand，andthetwomenremainedlookingintoeachother"seyeswithoutaword。

ThenMr。Rushbrookenteredhisroom，laydown，andwenttosleep，andJamesvanishedintheshadow。

AttheendofanhourMr。Rushbrookawokerefreshed，andevenJames，whocametocallhim，appearedtohavebrightenedintheinterval。"Ihaveorderedafire，sir，inthereservedroom，theonefittedupfromLosOsos，asyourstudyhashadnochanceofbeingcleanedthesetwoweeks。Itwillbeachangeforyou，sir。

Ihopeyou"llexcusemynotwakingyoutoconsultyouaboutit。"

RushbrookremainedsosilentthatJames，fancyinghehadnotheardhim，wasabouttorepeathimselfwhenhismastersaidquickly，"Verywell，comeformetherewhendinnerisready，"andenteredthepassageleadingtotheroom。Jamesdidnotfollowhim，andwhenMr。Rushbrook，openingthedoor，startedbackwithanexclamation，noonebuttheinmateheardthewordthatrosetohislips。

Forthere，seatedbeforetheglowoftheblazingfire，wasMissGraceNevil。Shehadevidentlyjustarrived，forhermantlewasbarelyloosenedaroundherneck，anduponthefringeofbrownhairbetweenherbonnetandherbroad，lowforeheadafewdropsofrainstillsparkled。Assheliftedherlonglashesquicklytowardsthedoor，itseemedasifthey，too，hadcaughtalittleofthatmoisture。Rushbrookmovedimpatientlyforward，andthenstopped。

Graceroseunhesitatinglytoherfeet，andmethimhalf-waywithfranklyoutstretchedhands。"Firstofall，"shesaid，withahalfnervouslaugh，"don"tscoldJames；it"sallmyfault；Iforbadehimtoannounceme，lestyoushoulddrivemeaway，forIheardthatduringthisexcitementyoucamehereforrest，andsawnoone。

Eventheintrusionintothisroomisallmyown。IconfessnowthatIsawitthelastnightIwashere；Iwasanxioustoknowifitwasunchanged，andmadeJamesbringmehere。Ididnotunderstanditthen。Idonow——and——thankyou。"

Herfacemusthaveshownthatshewasconsciousthathewasstillholdingherhand，forhesuddenlyreleasedit。Withaheightenedcolorandahalfgirlishnaivete，thatwasthemorecharmingforitscontrastwithhertallfigureandairofthoroughbredrepose，sheturnedbacktoherchair，andlightlymotionedhimtotaketheonebeforeher。"IamhereonBUSINESS；otherwiseIshouldnothavedaredtolookinuponyouatall。"

Shestopped，drewoffhergloveswithaprovokingdeliberation，whichwasnonethelessfascinatingthatitimpliedademureconsciousnessofinducingsomeimpatienceinthebreastofhercompanion，stretchedthemoutcarefullybythefingers，laidthemdownneatlyonthetable，placedherelbowsonherknees，slightlyclaspedherhandstogether，andbendingforward，liftedherhonest，handsomeeyestothemanbeforeher。

"Mr。Rushbrook，IhavegotbetweenfourandfivehundredthousanddollarsthatIhavenousefor；Icancontrolsecuritieswhichcanbeconverted，ifnecessary，intoahundredthousandmoreintendays。Iamfreeandmyownmistress。ItisgenerallyconsideredthatIknowwhatIamabout——youadmittedasmuchwhenIwasyourpupil。Ihavecomeheretoplacethissuminyourhands，atyourfreedisposal。Youknowwhyandforwhatpurpose。"

"Butwhatdoyouknowofmyaffairs?"askedRushbrook，quickly。

"Everything，andIknowYOU，whichisbetter。Callitaninvestmentifyoulike——forIknowyouwillsucceed——andletmeshareyourprofits。Callit——ifyouplease——restitution，forIamthemiserablecauseofyourrupturewiththatman。Orcallitrevengeifyoulike，"shesaidwithafaintsmile，"andletmefightatyoursideagainstourcommonenemy!Please，Mr。

Rushbrook，don"tdenymethis。Ihavecomethreethousandmilesforit；Icouldhavesentittoyou——orwritten——butIfearedyouwouldnotunderstandit。Youaresmiling——youwilltakeit?"

"Icannot，"saidRushbrook，gravely。

"ThenyouforcemetogointotheStockMarketmyself，andfightforyou，and，unaidedbyYOURgenius，perhapsloseitwithoutbenefitingyou。"

Rushbrookdidnotreply。

"Atleast，then，tellmewhyyou"cannot。""

Rushbrookrose，andlookingintoherface，saidquietlywithhisolddirectness:——

"BecauseIloveyou，MissNevil。"

Asuddeninstincttoriseandmoveaway，agreateronetoremainandhearhimspeakagain，andastillgreateronetokeepbackthebloodthatshefeltwasreturningalltooquicklytohercheekafterthefirstshock，kepthersilent。Butshedroppedhereyes。

"IlovedyoueversinceIfirstsawyouatLosOsos，"hewentonquickly；"Isaidtomyselfeventhen，thatiftherewasawomanthatwouldfillmylife，andmakemewhatshewishedmetobe，itwasyou。Ievenfanciedthatdaythatyouunderstoodmebetterthananywoman，orevenanyman，thatIhadevermetbefore。I

lovedyouthroughallthatmiserablebusinesswiththatman，evenwhenmyfailuretomakeyouhappywithanotherbroughtmenonearertoyou。Ihavelovedyoualways。Ishallloveyoualways。IloveyoumoreforthisfoolishkindnessthatbringsYOUbeneathmyroofoncemore，andgivesmeachancetospeakmyhearttoyou，ifonlyonceandforthelasttime，thanallthefortunethatyoucouldputatmydisposal。ButIcouldnotacceptwhatyouwouldoffermefromanywomanwhowasnotmywife——andIcouldnotmarryanywomanthatdidnotloveme。IamperhapspasttheagewhenIcouldinspireayounggirl"saffection；butIhavenotreachedtheagewhenIwouldacceptanythingless。"Hestoppedabruptly。Gracedidnotlookup。Therewasatearglisteninguponherlongeyelashes，albeitafaintsmileplayeduponherlips。

"Doyoucallthisbusiness，Mr。Rushbrook?"shesaidsoftly。

"Business?"

"Toassumeaproposaldeclinedbeforeithasbeenoffered。"

"Grace——mydarling——tellme——isitpossible?"

Itwastoolateforhertorisenow，ashishandsheldbothhers，andhishandsomemouthwassmilinglevelwithherown。SoitreallyseemedtoadispassionatespectatorthatitWASpossible，andbeforeshehadlefttheroom，itevenappearedtobethemostprobablethingintheworld。

TheunionofGraceNevilandRobertRushbrookwasrecordedbylocalhistoryasthecrowntohisvictoryovertheRing。Butonlyheandhiswifeknewthatitwasthecause。