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“Yes，Mr。Northmour，“returnedClara，withgreatspirit；“butthatiswhatyouwillneverdo。Youmadeabargainthatwasunworthyofagentleman；butyouareagentlemanforallthat，andyouwillneverdesertamanwhomyouhavebeguntohelp。“
“Aha！“saidhe。“YouthinkIwillgivemyyachtfornothing？YouthinkIwillriskmylifeandlibertyforloveoftheoldgentleman；andthen，Isuppose，hebestmanatthewedding，towindup？Well，“headded，withanoddsmile，“perhapsyouarenotaltogetherwrong。ButaskCassilishere。HEknowsme。AmIamantotrust？AmIsafeandscrupulous？AmIkind？“
“Iknowyoutalkagreatdeal，andsometimes，Ithink，veryfoolishly，“repliedClara，“butIknowyouareagentleman，andI
amnottheleastafraid。“
Helookedatherwithapeculiarapprovalandadmiration；then，turningtome，“DoyouthinkIwouldgiveherupwithoutastruggle，Frank？“saidhe。“Itellyouplainly，youlookout。Thenexttimewecometoblows——“
“Willmakethethird，“Iinterrupted，smiling。
“Aye，true；soitwill，“hesaid。“Ihadforgotten。Well，thethirdtime’slucky。“
“Thethirdtime，youmean，youwillhavethecrewofthe’RedEarl’
tohelp，“Isaid。
“Doyouhearhim？“heasked，turningtomywife。
“Iheartwomenspeakinglikecowards，“saidshe。“Ishoulddespisemyselfeithertothinkorspeaklikethat。Andneitherofyoubelieveonewordthatyouaresaying，whichmakesitthemorewickedandsilly。“
“She’satrump！“criedNorthmour。“Butshe’snotyetMrs。
Cassilis。Isaynomore。Thepresentisnotforme。“
Thenmywifesurprisedme。
“Ileaveyouhere，“shesaidsuddenly。“Myfatherhasbeentoolongalone。Butrememberthis:youaretobefriends，foryouarebothgoodfriendstome。“
Shehassincetoldmeherreasonforthisstep。Aslongassheremained，shedeclaresthatwetwowouldhavecontinuedtoquarrel；
andIsupposethatshewasright，forwhenshewasgonewefellatonceintoasortofconfidentiality。
Northmourstaredafterherasshewentawayoverthesandhill。
“Sheistheonlywomanintheworld！“heexclaimedwithanoath。
“Lookatheraction。“
I，formypart，leapedatthisopportunityforalittlefurtherlight。
“Seehere，Northmour，“saidI；“weareallinatightplace，arewenot？“
“Ibelieveyou，myboy，“heanswered，lookingmeintheeyes，andwithgreatemphasis。“Wehaveallhelluponus，that’sthetruth。
Youmaybelievemeornot，butI’mafraidofmylife。“
“Tellmeonething，“saidI。“Whataretheyafter，theseItalians？
WhatdotheywantwithMr。Huddlestone？“
“Don’tyouknow？“hecried。“Theblackoldscamphadcarbonarifundsonadeposit——twohundredandeightythousand；andofcoursehegambleditawayonstocks。TherewastohavebeenarevolutionintheTridentino，orParma；buttherevolutionisoff，andthewholewasp’snestisafterHuddlestone。Weshallallbeluckyifwecansaveourskins。“
“Thecarbonari！“Iexclaimed；“Godhelphimindeed！“
“Amen！“saidNorthmour。“Andnow，lookhere:Ihavesaidthatweareinafix；and，frankly，Ishallbegladofyourhelp。IfI
can’tsaveHuddlestone，Iwantatleasttosavethegirl。Comeandstayinthepavilion；and，there’smyhandonit，Ishallactasyourfrienduntiltheoldmaniseitherclearordead。But，“headded，“oncethatissettled，youbecomemyrivalonceagain，andI
warnyou——mindyourself。“
“Done！“saidI；andweshookhands。
“Andnowletusgodirectlytothefort，“saidNorthmour；andhebegantoleadthewaythroughtherain。
VI
WewereadmittedtothepavilionbyClara，andIwassurprisedbythecompletenessandsecurityofthedefenses。Abarricadeofgreatstrength，andyeteasytodisplace，supportedthedooragainstanyviolencefromwithout；andtheshuttersofthedining-
room，intowhichIwasleddirectly，andwhichwasfeeblyilluminatedbyalamp，wereevenmoreelaboratelyfortified。Thepanel
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