"Wait," he said, smiling coldly. "Wait till you are stronger."
"You are right," I said, "but we shall settle these matters."
"That, of course. But in the meantime, I have only suggested to you that could you agree with me in my point of view our obligation as it stands would be settled."
"Orme," said I, suddenly, "your love is a disgrace to any woman."
"Usually," he admitted, calmly, "but not in this case. I propose to marry Miss Meriwether; and I tell you frankly, I do not propose to have anything stand in my way."
"Then, by God!" I cried, "take her. Why barter and dicker over any woman with another man? The field is open. Do what you can. I know that is the way I'd do."
"Oh, certainly; but one needs all his chances even in an open field, in a matter so doubtful as this. I thought that I would place it before you—knowing your situation back in Virginia—and ask you—"
"Orme," said I, "one question—Why did you not kill me the other day when you could? Your tracks would have been covered. As it is, I may later have to uncover some tracks for you."
"I preferred it the other way," he remarked, still smiling his inscrutable smile.
"You surely had no scruples about it."