"No more of that, if you love me, Coventry," said O'Neill, gravely "Put yourself in my place! Could you do it? Ah, you shake your head, you see! Neither could I, not even to purchase heaven." There was a long pause between them.
"O'Neill," said the Englishman at last, "would that I could take your place!"
"But you cannot, Major Coventry," replied the other, gratefully. "You honor me in the thought; but if you could, I should refuse to allow it. You are the better man; all my life I have been a gay, reckless, pleasure-seeking soldier of fortune, with never a serious purpose until now, and now it is too late! You are the worthy one, and you must live to watch over, to care for her whom we both love. Perhaps--surely--in days to come she will forget; time, absence, you know--she will reward your devotion, she must--you will be happy--" His voice broke, and he turned away his face and looked out of the open port. Coventry shook his head.
"You know her not, sir. She is not for me, nor would I take her loving you; my love is too deep for that--nor would she come. She will never forget you." O'Neill's heart leaped at this assurance.
The ship's bell on the deck above them struck four times; it was six o'clock! There was a little silence within the screen.
"The hour approaches," said O'Neill, softly, at last. "I would be alone for a few moments before--you understand?"
"Yes," said the other, rising and pressing his hand. "Have you nothing to say, no message to send to--" he asked magnanimously.
"Nothing--nothing--'tis best so. You will come for me at the time?"
"Yes, and I will stand by you to the end, like a soldier."
"You do me great honor," replied the other, thankfully. Coventry looked at him a moment, shook his head, and turned away.