Nan kept to her word and danced with him, and I saw them sitting out and talking very earnestly. But for all Nan’s bright colour, she looked unhappy, and Nick scarcely went near her. “It’s for Nick’s good,” she said to me, when we were dancing together. “Mr. Curran, I was right; it is Rummles, and he has promised me—— Oh! Nick will thank me some day.”
Whatever Rummles had promised, he didn’t seem in a hurry to keep his promise, and tried in the meantime to get as much as he could of Nan’s company. He was always up at the doctor’s and the Postmaster’s, where Nan spent most of her time, and the consequence was that Nick went seldom to see her.
Nick began to look moody and wild; but he was so proud that he wouldn’t go straight to Nan and have things out. He had got it into his head already, I could see, that she was being attracted to Rummles.
Now was my time, and the devil did whisper to me—I’ll own it honestly—that if I chose to foment the mischief by working on Nick’s suspicions, there’d be a chance for me yet with Nan. But I didn’t yield to the temptation.
I did my best to put it away, and I even expostulated with Nan for letting Rummles come between her and Nick. The tears came into her eyes as I talked to her. She was looking very worn and white and thin. All she said was, “It won’t last much longer, Mr. Curran; I’ve got his promise, and Nick will be grateful to me in the end.”
That very afternoon, as I was going across the gully from The Star office to one of my claims, I came upon Rummles and Nan. They were standing close by the passionfruit hedge, which screened the Postmaster’s garden, and she seemed to be pleading earnestly, and he was looking at her in a mad, wicked sort of way.
I crept round the hedge. I suppose it was dishonourable, but I couldn’t help it. I wanted to take care of Nan, and I felt by that look on Rummles’ face, that he was up to devilry.
“You’ve got to do this for me,” I heard him say, “and then I’ll do what you ask. I’ll give you the proofs because I love you—yes, I love you, Nan, and I’ve always loved you, and I hate Nick because he has taken you from me.”
“Oh, don’t say that,” she cried. “You mustn’t say that. I love none but Nick, and you mustn’t say you’re doing it for love of me. You are doing it for love of right and justice.”
“Very well,” he said with a malign laugh, “I’m doing it for the love of right and justice. But I’m not going to abate my terms, Nan. You are to come yourself, and alone.”