He paused, but the sombre eyes gave no sign—they seemed to be gazing on the shores of eternity.
"And I came here to-night for that purpose—my men are in that hall now!"
He stopped and folded his hands deliberately, waiting for his judge to speak.
A long silence fell between them. The tall, sorrowful man was looking at him with a curious expression of wonder and self pity.
"So you came here to-night to kill me?"
"Yes."
Again a long silence—the deep eyes looking, looking with their strange questioning gaze.
"Well," the younger man burst out at last, "what is my fate? I deserve it. Even generosity and gentleness have their limit. I've passed it. And I've no desire to escape."
The kindly hand was lifted to John Vaughan's shoulder:
"Why didn't you do it?"