"More than likely he is," Devereux admitted. "I hear that he has converted all his real estate, and has slipped his moorings for good and all."
"You mean that he is never coming back?"
"Such is the report from an authentic source, I'm told."
Lorraine smiled a bit grimly.
"Never is a long time," he said. "I'll not believe it—and I shall hope not until I die.—Someway—somehow—I'm going to square off with Amherst. It may be years, yet I shall do it—and do it well."
"What if Stephanie and you make it up—you won't think then of harming Amherst?" said Devereux.
"No—I suppose not—at least, not openly; but if we don't make it up——" another gesture ended the sentence.
Devereux frowned and was about to answer; then he pulled himself up, and with the slightest lift of his eyebrows busied himself with his drink. There was no use in arguing with Lorraine—he would not know his own mind more than an hour anyway.
"There is another contingency, Lorraine," said he:—"Suppose you don't succeed in effecting a reconciliation with Stephanie—what then?"
"I'll never give up trying," Lorraine replied.