Marchmont felt that, if
May Gaston wronged him, she was wronging far more herself, and most of
all his ideal of her. He could not believe such a thing of her without
her own plain assurance, and would not suffer it until every effort to
redeem and rescue her was exhausted.
"You don't mean," he said at last openly and bluntly to Dick Benyon,
"that you think it's possible she'll marry him?"
"I do, quite," groaned poor Dick. "You can imagine how I feel about it;
and if I didn't see it myself, Amy would soon let me know it."
Marchmont said no more, feeling that discussion was difficult for one in
his position, but Dick did not spare him a description of what had
happened at Ashwood, from which he realised the gravity of the danger.
"After all, he's a very remarkable man," Dick pleaded, in a forlorn
effort at defending himself no less than the lady.
Marchmont found May in a mood most favourable to the cause he had at
heart, if he had known how to use his opportunity to the best advantage.
From day to day now she wavered between the fear and the fascination, and
on this day the fear was stronger and, working together with her
affection for Marchmont, might well have gained him the victory.
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