Of what use to stay in Salem now, that my love had come to such a sorry end? Yet I did not like that he should triumph over me, nor would I purchase my freedom at the price he offered.

To stay? To go?

“I will remain here,” I said, after a moment’s pause. He made a gesture that showed his displeasure. “But mistake me not, Sir George, Mistress Keith shall see no more of me. I stay, not on her account, but my own. Now, enough of womenkind. With you it seems I have a score to settle yet.”

Sir George nodded his head.

“You have made threats,” I went on. “You feel aggrieved; you consider me your enemy, and I, no less, you mine. The Danes are not accustomed to shun danger; to permit old scores to be unsatisfied; to leave an enemy behind them. Therefore I stay, Sir George.”

He made as if he would go, but I stood before him. He was looking beyond me with a curious glint in his 131eyes, and, though I was directly in his path, he did not seem to notice me.

“Draw, sir,” I commanded, gently. “Let us see who of us shall go or stay; who of us shall die? There have been enough of threats. Draw, sir; I pray you.”

Still he looked beyond me as if at some vision behind the oak walls, until stung by his indifference I came so close up against him that his arm touched mine.

“Will you not fight?” I cried, peering into his eyes that refused to see me.

He said not a word, but ever continued to gaze away.

“Come,” I sneered, “will you do me the honor to cross swords?”

“Not with a traitor,” was his sudden answer.

“Nor I with a coward,” I exclaimed. I snatched up the broken whip and struck him full in the face with it. The blow raised a red weal from his eye to his chin.

I have seen wild beasts aroused, and raging Indians mad with the lust of murder, yet I never saw such a look as came into the face of that man when I struck him. Verily I shrank back somewhat, and my sword went up on guard. But with a fierce mastery of the passion that must have been tearing at his very heart, Sir George moistened his lips with his tongue, and hoarsely whispered:

“Are you mad? No man ever yet struck me and lived after it. But the sword of a gentleman and a soldier is 132too good for such as you, traitor that you are. I will not sully my steel with your blood. Think not, though, that you will escape me. Die you shall, but in such manner as no man died before;” and, ere I could stop him he had rushed from the room, and I was alone.

There was half a thought in my mind to follow him, but I did not care to engage with him on the open highway, and I knew I would meet with him again. That he meditated some evil to me I was sure. What it might be I could not say.

Well, I would be off now to see Lucille after my long absence. I stopped with a jolt, as suddenly as does a trooper whose horse balks at a hedge. Lucille!

“Ha!” I cried, gaily. “Nay, Lucille no more, but Lady Keith. What a fool I’ve been to let her see that I loved her. What a fool any man is to love a woman. What fools men are, anyhow, at all times.

“Bah! Lucille! And she took my kisses.

“What ho! Well, ’tis many a stolen kiss a soldier has, and mine had been purloined favors, though I knew it not. Why, then, should I give her up? She loved me, even her husband admitted that. And why had not I, whom she loved, a better right, to her than he whom she loved not? With some there would have been but one answer to this. A clash of steel, and, right or wrong, he who loved and won, would have her whom he fought for. Why not I? What if she was his wife?

133“Should love recognize limitations of earthly honor? Why not cast honor as men saw it to the winds? With Sir George out of the way I would have naught to fear from his warrant, and his wife--bah! the words went bitter in my mouth--his wife could then be mine. I had no doubt that in a combat with him I could be the victor. We had quarreled, I had struck him. If he was a man he must fight after that. Then a meeting early in the morning, a clash of swords, a lunge, a feint, a trick I knew well, having had it from a master of the art, and that would be the end. The end of all save my happiness with Lucille.

“No!”

I spoke the word aloud. I had not sunk so low as that. It would be sad indeed if love gave such license. There was but one way out of the matter. If I stayed in Salem I must fight Sir George, and all would say that I had slain him that I might take his wife.

Love would be sweet, with Lucille to share it with me, but not love with dishonor. Therefore I must go.

Heigh-ho! This, then, was an end to all my dreams. Nothing left to battle for save life, and that was scarce worth the struggle. I tried to banish the memory of Lucille from me, but I could not. Her whisper that she loved me sounded in my ears loud above the din of the fights I had passed through. One right I had still. To 134love her in secret, to know that she loved me, and, knowing that, to let it be the end.

It was night now. There came a knock on my door, and Willis entered.

“What, not gone?” he asked. “Why, I thought you were in haste to be away.”

“So I was,” I answered, with a short laugh, “but I have changed my mind now. Much haste oft means a slow journey. I’ll stay here with you. Let us have some wine up, Master Willis. ’Tis so long since I have tasted any that my throat has forgot the flavor. Bring plenty, for when a man has been to the wars there is need of some cheer on his return, even though he comes conquered instead of a conqueror.”

He brought the wine, and we drank together, I not so much that I wanted the drink, but companionship.

“How goes the witchcraft here, Willis?” I asked. “I heard ’twas broke out again, as I came through Boston.”

“Hush,” he said, glancing around as though he feared some one would hear me. “Verily it is most horrible. The townspeople have gone mad, it seems. Scarce a day goes by that some poor woman or man is not accused of being in league with the devil, or banded with witches to work evil spells. The Colony groans under the terrors, for nearly half a score of people have been put to death after being convicted of witchcraft.

“Neighbors have denounced and testified against neighbors; 135fathers against s............