“For Heaven's sake don't be such an idiot, Cole!” he burst out in a passion. “You know I'm against the others, and you know what they want, yet you do your best to put me on their side! You know what they are, and yet you hesitate! For the love of God be sensible; at least give me your word that you'll hold your tongue for ever about all you know.”
“All right,” I said. “I'll give you my word—my sacred promise, Rattray—on one condition.”
“What's that?”
“That you let me take Miss Denison away from you, for good and all!”
His face was transformed with fury: honest passion faded from it and left it bloodless, deadly, sinister.
“Away from me?” said Rattray, through his teeth.
“From the lot of you.”
“I remember! You told me that night. Ha, ha, ha! You were in love with her—you—you!”
“That has nothing to do with it,” said I, shaking the bed with my anger and my agitation.
“I should hope not! You, indeed, to look at her!”