"I will not let you off," he said. "This is my affair, and mine only——"
"How about her?" I put in.
He did not hear me.
"You mean to be my friend, but friendship has no right to dictate another man's private affairs. I lead my life as I have to. You lead yours. No interference. That's the only way we can be friends. The only way you can help me in this is by bringing the thieves to book."
"But that's going to be a long chase," I groaned. "Meanwhile Mount is making hay. What's the use of publishing the truth if the mischief is already done?"
He shrugged. "If she can bring herself to marry Mount——!"
The self-sufficiency of a passionate young man! I could almost have wept at my helplessness against his obstinacy. "Be fair!" I cried. "It is our experience, our knowledge of men that warns us against Mount. How can she tell?"
"This does no good," he muttered.
In his bitter wrongheadedness I believe that he almost wished that Irma might find out her mistake too late.
But I would not give up, though I felt it was useless. "What happiness can there be for any of us if Irma comes to grief?" I said.