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〃I must insist；〃 said Wilton Barnstable； 〃that Logan Black is my
prisoner。〃
Cleggett was silent a moment。 Then he said firmly： 〃Mr。
Barnstable； it is painful to me to have to remind you of it； but
your attitude forces me to an equal directness。 The fact that
Logan Black is now a captive is due to his efforts to recover
certain evidence which may be used against him。 This evidence I
discovered and defended； and this evidence I now hold in my
possession。〃
Wilton Barnstable was about to retort； perhaps heatedly； but
Cleggett； generous even while determined to have his own way；
hastened to add： 〃Do not think； Mr。 Barnstable； that I minimize
your work； or your assistancebut； after all； what am I
demanding that is unreasonable？ If Logan Black dies by my hand；
are not the ends of justice served as well as if he died in the
electric chair？ And if I fall； the law may still take its
course。〃
Loge had listened to this speech attentively。 He lifted his head
and glanced about the deck； filling his lungs with a deep draft
of air。 Something like a gleam of hope was visible in his
features。
〃It is irregular；〃 said Wilton Barnstable； frowning； and not half
convinced。 〃And； in the name of Heaven； why imperil your life
needlessly？ Why expose yourself again to the power of this
monstrous criminal？〃
〃The fellow has challenged me； and I have granted him a meeting；〃
said Cleggett。 〃I hope there is such a thing as honor！〃
〃Clement！〃 It was Lady Agatha who spoke。 As she did so she laid
her hand on Cleggett's arm。 She had hearkened in silence to the
colloquy between him and Barnstable； as had the others。 She drew
him out of sight and hearing behind the cabin。〃
〃Clement；〃 she said with agitation； 〃do not fight this man！〃
〃I must；〃 he said simply。 It cut him to the heart to refuse the
first request that she had asked of him since his avowal of his
love for her and her tacit acceptance。 But； to a man of
Cleggett's ideas； there was no choice。
〃Clement；〃 she said in a low tone； 〃you have told me that you
love me。〃
〃Agatha！〃 he murmured brokenly。
〃And you know〃 she paused； as if she could not continue； but
her eyes and manner spoke the rest。 In a moment her lips spoke
it too； she was not the sort of woman who is afraid to avow the
promptings of her heart。 〃You know；〃 she said； 〃that I love
you。〃
〃Agatha！〃 he cried again。 He could say no more。
〃Oh； Clement；〃 she said； 〃if you were killedkilled
uselessly！now that I have found you； I could not bear it。
Dear； I could not bear it！〃
Cleggett was profoundly moved。 He yearned to take her in his
arms to comfort her； and to promise anything she wished。 And the
thought came to him too that； if he should perish； the one kiss；
given and received in the darkness and danger of fight and storm；
would be all the brave sweetness of her that he would know this
side of the grave； the thought came to him bitterly。 For an
instant he wavered。
〃Agatha！〃 he said with dry lips。 〃I have already accepted the
fellow's challenge。〃
〃And what of that？〃 she cried。 〃Would you cling to a barren
point of honor in despite of love？〃
〃Even so；〃 he said； and sighed。
〃Oh； Clement；〃 she said； 〃I cannot bear it！ I cannot bear to
lose you！ I always knew you were in the world somewhereand now
that I have found you it is only to give you up！ It is too
much！〃
Cleggett was silent for a moment。 When he spoke it was slowly
and gently； but earnestly。
〃No point of honor is a barren one； dear；〃 he said。 〃What the
man lying there may be matters nothing。 It is not to him that I
have given my word； but to myself。 In our hurried modern life we
are not punctilious enough about these things。 Perhaps； in the
old days； the men and women were worse than we in many ways。 But
they held to a few traditions； or the best of them did； that make
the loose and tawdry manners of this age seem cheap indeed。 All
my life I have known that there was something shining and simple
and precious concealed from the common herd of men in this common
age； which the brighter spirits of the old days lived by and
served and worshiped。 I have always seen it plainly； and always
tried to live by it； too。 Perhaps it was never； in any period；
more than a dream； but I have dreamed that dream。 And anyone who
dreams that dream will have a reverence for his spoken word no
matter to whom it is passed。 I may be a fool to fight this man；
well then； that is the kind of fool I am！ Indeed； I know I am a
fool by the judgments of this age。 But I have never truly lived
in this age。 I have lived in the past； I have held to the dream；
I have believed in the bright adventure； I have walked with the
generous； chivalric spirits of the great ages； they have come to
me out of my books and dwelt with me and been my companions； and
the realities of time and place have been unreal in their
presence。 I see myself so walking always。 It may be that I am a
vain ass； but I cannot help it。 It may be that I am a little
mad； but I would rather be mad with a Don Quixote than sane with
an Andrew Carnegie and pile up platitudes and dollars。
〃And all this foolishness of mine is somehow bound up with the
thought that I have engaged to fight that evil fellow； and must
do it； all the bright； sane madness in me cries out that he is to
die by this hand of mine。
〃I have opened my heart to you； as I have never done to anyone
before。 And now I put myself into your hands。 But； oh； take
carefor it is something in me better than myself that I give
you to deal with！ And you can cripple it forever； because I love
you and I shall listen to you。 Shall I fight him？〃
She had listened； mute and immobile； and as he spoke the red sun
made a sudden glory of her hair。 She leaned towards him； and it
was as if the spirit of all the man's lifelong； foolish； romantic
musings were in her eyes and on her face。
〃Fight him！〃 she said。 〃And kill him！〃
And then her head was on his shoulder； and his arms were about
her。 〃Don't die！〃 she sobbed。 〃Don't die！〃
〃Don't fear；〃 he said； 〃I feel that I'll make short work of him。〃
She smiled courageously back at him； with her hands upon his
shoulders she held him back and looked at him with tilted head。
〃If you are killed；〃 she said； 〃it will have been more than most
women ever get； to have known and loved you for two days。〃
〃Two days？〃 he said。 〃Forever！〃
〃Forever！〃 she said。
CHAPTER XXIV
THE DUEL
Cleggett took Wilton Barnstable by the sleeve and drew him
towards Loge； who； still seated on the deck with his long legs
stretched out in front of him； was now yawning with a cynical
affectation of boredom。
〃I wish you to act as my second in this affair；〃 said Cleggett to
the detective； 〃and I suggest that either Mr。 Ward or Mr。 Bard
perform a like office for Mr。 Black。〃