There was a pause, then he said: "You are the girl who lives opposite?"

A flicker of irritation and impatience shone in his eyes. "Why do you

interfere? It is no business of yours!"

"Yes, it is," she said, and there was something like a note of anger in

her voice; for it seemed to her that he was extremely ungrateful. "It is

the duty of anyone to prevent a man making--a--a fool of himself. You

ought to be ashamed."

Unwittingly, she had used the right tone. He leant back in the chair and

stared at her with a mixture of resentment and amusement.

"You have plenty of confidence, anyhow, young lady," he said.

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"And you have none," retorted Celia, with a dash of colour. "Fancy a man

of your age trying to--to kill himself!"

"My age!" He laughed mirthlessly, ironically. "You talk to me, look at

me, as if I were a boy."

"You are not much more," said Celia; "and a foolish one into the

bargain."

He pushed impatiently the short lock of hair from his forehead, which

was dank with sweat.

"Be that as it may," he said, "you have interfered most unwarrantably in

a matter which does not concern you. All the same, I suppose you expect

me to say that I am obliged to you. Well, I'm not; I don't like being

interfered with, especially--by a woman. You come into my room----" He

tried to rise with an air of dignity, but he sank back, as if he were

weak, and with his arms extended along those of the chair regarded her

with a grim smile of whimsicality. "Well, I suppose I ought to say I am

obliged to you. Consider that I have said it and--pray, don't let me

keep you."

Celia rose, the revolver still in her hand.

"Good night," she said.

"Here!" he called out to her, wearily; "give me back that thing; put it

down."

"Certainly not," said Celia, with decision. "You are not fit to be

trusted with it."

"Oh, am I not?" he said, sarcastically.

"You know you are not. What were you doing with it, what were you going

to do with it, when I came in?" she demanded.

"What an unnecessary question," he retorted. "I was going to shoot

myself, of course."

"Exactly. That is why I am taking it away from you."




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