"Husband?" he burst in eagerly.
"She believes him to be. There was a ceremony of marriage; and believing in him, she would not let me bring her to you, because he had made her take an oath not to do so."
"The villain!" he exclaimed with intense pa.s.sion.
"I fear that the reason is what you think."
"You know who he is?" The hard eyes were fierce and gleaming as he asked.
"I know who it is not," I answered.
"You know who it is, then?"
"You must not ask me. I cannot tell you yet."
"You shall tell me."
"If you think you can force me, try;" and I faced him, with a look to the full as resolute as his.
"Why won"t you?"
"For Gareth"s sake. I am thinking of what, in your present desperate mood, you cannot--her happiness."
"I am thinking of her honour."
"No. You are thinking of murder, Colonel Katona. You came here to do it, believing that you knew who had betrayed her."
"He shall pay for it with his life."
"There may be a heavier penalty to exact than that."
"Show me that, and as there is a G.o.d it shall be exacted."
"I will show it you, but at my own time and in my own way. No other."
"You are playing with me, and shielding the villain here."
"I am doing neither. The man you seek is not Count Karl."
"You are lying," he cried again vehemently. "See this;" and he drew out a crumpled letter and thrust it toward me.
But I would not look at it and got up. "If I am lying, there is no longer need for you to speak to me of this. If I am not lying, you are a coward to insult me so, even in your pa.s.sion. Leave the house as you came and probe this for yourself. My servants are within call, if you do not go." I picked up his revolver and handed it to him. "Here is your weapon."
He made no attempt to touch it but looked up at me. "You are a daring girl," he muttered.
"Ernst von Dreschler"s daughter does not lie, Colonel Katona," I answered, with deliberate emphasis.
"Forgive me. I spoke out of my mad misery. I will not disbelieve you again. G.o.d knows, I am not myself to-night."
"You can trust me or not, as you please. But if you trust me, it will have to be absolutely. I believe I can see a way through this trouble which will be best for Gareth--best for all. It is of Gareth I think in this. She would trust me."
"Let me go to her," he cried.
"Yes, but not yet. It would not be best. She is quite safe, and if you will but have a little patience, I will bring you together and all may be well with her."
"You talk to me of patience when every vein in my body runs with fire."
"I talk to you of Gareth"s happiness, and how possibly to spare her--the only way and that but a possible one," I answered, as I put the letter he had offered me in my pocket.
He pressed his hand to his head. "My G.o.d, I cannot be patient," he cried, vehemently.
"You could show patience in the slow ruin of your friend, Colonel Katona. Must I remind you of that? I am here to avenge that wrong, and seek tardy justice for his name and mine. You can help me to avenge the wrong and do justice to him, dead though he is. For the sake of my dead father no less than for that of your child patience is needed. I will have my way and no other."
"What do you mean that I can avenge your wrong?"
"You hold the secret that can do all."
"What secret?" And for all his wildness about Gareth and for all his mad rage, my words had touched a secret thought which drove the colour from his tawny face and brought a fear of me into his eyes--fear it was, unmistakably.
"It is enough that I know it," I answered, so curtly and with such concentration that he dropped his eyes as though I might read some secret in them.
I would have given all I was worth to have known what was in his mind at that instant.
In the pause that followed, I heard some one descending the stairs. I knew it must be Karl; and then a daring thought suggested itself.
"You must go, now; I will come to you."
He looked up at me searchingly and keenly, and rose slowly.
"I will go," he said. "I shall see you to-morrow. For G.o.d"s sake."
"I will come to you. You trust me?"
"I am getting afraid of you--but I trust you."
"I will put that trust to the test now. Count Karl will go with you to your house until to-morrow."
His eyes blazed for a moment. "Do you mean----"
"If he had done you this wrong, should I propose it?"
"I don"t understand you. I can"t."
"It must be as I say. You will not even speak Gareth"s name to him.
Remember--not her name even--until I see you to-morrow. Your word of honour on that."
"Yes. I give you my word. But all must be made clear to-morrow. I cannot wait."