"Don't—!" quickly. "I'm willing to assume her innocence. Haven't I told you that I had been prepared to forget the whole incident—when she cut me. Why did she do that? What does that mean?"
"Not guilt surely—wouldn't she be trying to get you on her side?"
Olga waved an expressive hand.
"Oh, that's impossible—and she knows it."
"Why?"
She paused, shielding her eyes with her fingers. He was such an innocent. But she had no notion of enlightening him.
"She has given you up—to marry. That's clear. I told her secret.
The simplest way out of her difficulty is to ignore me. Well—let her.
I don't mind. I'll survive. But I would give my ears to let Fifth
Avenue know—"
"No—no," he put in quickly, "you mustn't do that— If you've ceased to care for her, you've got your duty to me to consider. Do you hold my honor so lightly—"
"Yours?"
"Yes. She was in my care. I let her go with me. The responsibility was sacred. I was morally pledged to keep her from harm. That responsibility has not ceased because she no longer—because she has made up her mind to—to marry. It's greater even. If you ever told that story—"