There was a queer silence for a moment, then Carlton said quietly:
"I'm afraid there's some mistake. Gay is engaged to me for the First—and for many other Firsts, I hope."
Chris's glance flashed from one to the other, even in that moment he lived up to his motto, "Never show when you're hit," but his jaws gritted together, as, with an upward jerk of his bright head, he said:
"A very serious mistake, as Miss Lawless is engaged to me."
Both men were standing, and at what Gay saw on their faces, she rose also, and stood between them.
"I am engaged to Carlton Mackrell," she said to Chris. "Will you please go away now?"
After one long look between her eyes, without a word Chris went, his proud young face impassive as Rensslaer's Indian; yet Gay felt as if there had been murder done, when the door closed, and involuntarily she stretched out her arms towards it.
"Oh, my God!" she whispered. "Come back, for I love you, Chris ... I love you."
Carlton heard—but this scene was a mere anti-climax to the one he had just gone through, and as he had held to his purpose in that one, so was he resolute to hold to it in this, where so much more was at stake....
Even if she loved Chris Hannen, what then? Gay must be protected against herself—made happy in spite of herself—a man always thinks he can make a woman that, in spite of all observation and experience to the contrary.... All these weeks of his absence, Chris had had his chance, and lost it. That the boy liked Gay well enough, Carlton knew, but not so much as horses. His behaviour throughout the Horse Show had proved that—and even if Rensslaer had given him a berth in his stables, where did Gay come in? The more superb the horses, the greater Chris's facilities for breaking his neck; anyway, there would be no comfort or peace of mind for the girl, and it was pure selfishness on Chris's part to want her to sacrifice herself to him.