"Penton, what you have just said about you and Hildreth and your lives together, I shall consider as sacred between us."
He gave me his hand.
"Promise me one thing, that you will not take Hildreth as your sweetheart ... be true to our friendship first, Johnnie."
"Penton, I am only flesh and blood; I will promise, if anything happens, to tell you, ultimately, the truth."
He looked at me with close scrutiny again, at this ambiguous speech.
"Johnnie, have you told me the absolute truth?"
"Yes!" evading his eyes.
"—because there is a wild strain in Hildreth that only needs a little rousing—" He paused.
"Johnnie," as we walked away, "don't you think you had better pack up and leave? The next time I am going to sue for a divorce."