\"No，\"shesaidpassionately，tearingupthepaperandthrowingitathisfeet；\"notasYOUunderstandit——andneverYOURS!Youhavedebasedandpollutedeverythingconnectedwithit，asyouwouldhavedebasedandpollutedME。Outofmypresencethatyouareinsulting——outoftheroomofthemanwhosemagnanimityyoucannotunderstand!\"
Thedestructionoftheguaranteeapparentlystunghimmorethanthewordsthataccompaniedit。Hedidnotrelapseagainintohisformershamefacedterror，butasamalignantglittercameintohiseyes，heregainedhiscoolness。
\"Itmaynotbesodifficultforotherstounderstand，MissNevil，\"
hesaid，withpolishedinsolence，\"andasBobRushbrook\'sgenerositytoprettywomenisalreadyamatterofsuspicion，perhapsyouarewisetodestroythatrecordofit。\"
\"Coward!\"saidGrace，\"standasideandletmepass!\"Shesweptbyhimtothedoor。ButitopeneduponRushbrook\'sre-entrance。Hestoodforaninstantglancingatthepair，andthenonthefragmentsofthepaperthatstrewedthefloor。Then，stillholdingthedoorinhishand，hesaidquietly:——
\"Onemomentbeforeyougo，MissNevil。Ifthisistheresultofanymisunderstandingastothepresenceofanotherwomanhere，incompanywithMr。Somers，itisonlyfairtohimtosaythatthatwomanishereasafriendofMINE，notofhis，andIaloneamresponsible。\"
Gracehalted，andturnedthecoldsteelofherproudeyesonthetwomen。AstheyrestedonRushbrooktheyquiveredslightly。\"I
canalreadybearwitness，\"shesaidcoldly，\"tothegenerosityofMr。Rushbrookinamatterwhichthentouchedme。ButtherecertainlyisnonecessityforhimtoshowitnowinamatterinwhichIhavenottheslightestconcern。\"
AsshesweptoutoftheroomandwasreceivedintherespectableshadowofthewaitingJames，RushbrookturnedtoSomers。
\"AndI\'Mafraiditwon\'tdo——forLeytonsawyou，\"hesaidcurtly。
\"Now，then，shutthatdoor，foryouandI，JackSomers，haveawordtosaytoeachother。\"
Whatthatwordwas，andhowitwassaidandreceived，isnotapartofthisrecord。ButitistoldthatitwasthebeginningofthatmightyIliad，stillrememberedofmen，whichshookthefinancialcampsofSanFrancisco，anddividedthemintobittercontendingparties。ForwhenitbecameknownthenextdaythatSomershadsuddenlyabandonedRushbrook，andcarriedovertoapowerfulforeigncapitalistthesecretmethods，andeven，itwasbelieved，theLUCKofhislateemployer，itwascertainthattherewouldbewartotheknife，andthatitwasnolongerastruggleofrivalenterprise，butofvindictivemen。
CHAPTERVII
ForayearthebattlebetweentheSomersfactionandthegiantbutsolitaryRushbrookragedfiercely，withvaryingsuccess。IgrievetosaythattheprotegesandparasitesofMaecenasdesertedhiminabody；nay，theyopenlyallegedthatitwasthetrueartisticnatureandrefinementofSomersthathadalwaysattractedthem，andthatamanlikeRushbrook，whoboughtpicturesbytheyard，——
equallyoftheunknownstrugglingartistandthefamousmasters，——
wasnotruepatronofArt。Rushbrookmadenoattempttorecoverhislostprestige，andonce，whensqueezedintoatight\"corner，\"
andforcedtorealizeonhistreasures，heputthemupatauctionandthepeoplecalledthem\"daubs；\"theirrageknewnobounds。ItwasthenthatanunfetteredpressdiscoveredthatRushbrookneverwasaMaecenasatall，grimlydeprecatedhisassumptionofthattitle，andevendoubtedifheweretrulyamillionaire。Itwasatthistimethatafewstoodbyhim——notably，themillinventorfromSiskyou，grownplethoricwithsuccess，buteventuallygroundbetweentheupperandnethermillstoneoftheSomersandRushbrookparty。MissNevilhadreturnedtotheAtlanticStateswithMrs。
Leyton。WhilerumorshadplayedfreelywiththerelationsofSomersandtheSignoraasthepossiblecauseoftherupturebetweenhimandRushbrook，nomentionhadeverbeenmadeofthenameofMissNevil。
Itwasrainingheavilyoneafternoon，whenMr。RushbrookdrovefromhisofficetohisSanFranciscohouse。Thefiercestruggleinwhichhewasengagedlefthimlittletimeforhospitality，andforthelasttwoweekshishousehadbeencomparativelydeserted。Hepassedthroughtheemptyrooms，changedinlittleexcepttheabsenceofsomevaluablemonstrositieswhichhadgonetoreplenishhiscapital。Whenhereachedhisbedroom，hepausedamomentattheopendoor。
\"James!\"
\"Yes，sir，\"saidJames，appearingoutoftheshadow。
\"Whatareyouwaitingfor?\"
\"Ithoughtyoumightbewantingsomething，sir。\"
\"Youwerewaitingtherethismorning；youwereintheante-roomofmystudywhileIwaswriting。YouwereoutsidetheblueroomwhileIsatatbreakfast。Youwereatmyelbowinthedrawing-roomlatelastnight。Now，James，\"continuedMr。Rushbrook，withhisusualgravedirectness，\"Idon\'tintendtocommitsuicide；Ican\'taffordit，sokeepyourtimeandyourrestforyourself——youwantit——
that\'sagoodfellow。\"
\"Yes，sir。\"
\"James!\"
\"Yes，sir。\"
Rushbrookextendedhishand。Therewasthatfaint，raresmileonhishandsomemouth，forwhichJameswouldatanytimehavelaiddownhislife。Butheonlysilentlygraspedhismaster\'shand，andthetwomenremainedlookingintoeachother\'seyeswithoutaword。
ThenMr。Rushbrookenteredhisroom，laydown，andwenttosleep，andJamesvanishedintheshadow。
AttheendofanhourMr。Rushbrookawokerefreshed，andevenJames，whocametocallhim，appearedtohavebrightenedintheinterval。\"Ihaveorderedafire，sir，inthereservedroom，theonefittedupfromLosOsos，asyourstudyhashadnochanceofbeingcleanedthesetwoweeks。Itwillbeachangeforyou，sir。
Ihopeyou\'llexcusemynotwakingyoutoconsultyouaboutit。\"
RushbrookremainedsosilentthatJames，fancyinghehadnotheardhim，wasabouttorepeathimselfwhenhismastersaidquickly，\"Verywell，comeformetherewhendinnerisready，\"andenteredthepassageleadingtotheroom。Jamesdidnotfollowhim，andwhenMr。Rushbrook，openingthedoor，startedbackwithanexclamation，noonebuttheinmateheardthewordthatrosetohislips。
Forthere，seatedbeforetheglowoftheblazingfire，wasMissGraceNevil。Shehadevidentlyjustarrived，forhermantlewasbarelyloosenedaroundherneck，anduponthefringeofbrownhairbetweenherbonnetandherbroad，lowforeheadafewdropsofrainstillsparkled。Assheliftedherlonglashesquicklytowardsthedoor，itseemedasifthey，too，hadcaughtalittleofthatmoisture。Rushbrookmovedimpatientlyforward，andthenstopped。
Graceroseunhesitatinglytoherfeet，andmethimhalf-waywithfranklyoutstretchedhands。\"Firstofall，\"shesaid，withahalfnervouslaugh，\"don\'tscoldJames；it\'sallmyfault；Iforbadehimtoannounceme，lestyoushoulddrivemeaway，forIheardthatduringthisexcitementyoucamehereforrest，andsawnoone。
Eventheintrusionintothisroomisallmyown。IconfessnowthatIsawitthelastnightIwashere；Iwasanxioustoknowifitwasunchanged，andmadeJamesbringmehere。Ididnotunderstanditthen。Idonow——and——thankyou。\"
Herfacemusthaveshownthatshewasconsciousthathewasstillholdingherhand，forhesuddenlyreleasedit。Withaheightenedcolorandahalfgirlishnaivete，thatwasthemorecharmingforitscontrastwithhertallfigureandairofthoroughbredrepose，sheturnedbacktoherchair，andlightlymotionedhimtotaketheonebeforeher。\"IamhereonBUSINESS；otherwiseIshouldnothavedaredtolookinuponyouatall。\"
Shestopped，drewoffhergloveswithaprovokingdeliberation，whichwasnonethelessfascinatingthatitimpliedademureconsciousnessofinducingsomeimpatienceinthebreastofhercompanion，stretchedthemoutcarefullybythefingers，laidthemdownneatlyonthetable，placedherelbowsonherknees，slightlyclaspedherhandstogether，andbendingforward，liftedherhonest，handsomeeyestothemanbeforeher。
\"Mr。Rushbrook，IhavegotbetweenfourandfivehundredthousanddollarsthatIhavenousefor；Icancontrolsecuritieswhichcanbeconverted，ifnecessary，intoahundredthousandmoreintendays。Iamfreeandmyownmistress。ItisgenerallyconsideredthatIknowwhatIamabout——youadmittedasmuchwhenIwasyourpupil。Ihavecomeheretoplacethissuminyourhands，atyourfreedisposal。Youknowwhyandforwhatpurpose。\"
\"Butwhatdoyouknowofmyaffairs?\"askedRushbrook，quickly。
\"Everything，andIknowYOU，whichisbetter。Callitaninvestmentifyoulike——forIknowyouwillsucceed——andletmeshareyourprofits。Callit——ifyouplease——restitution，forIamthemiserablecauseofyourrupturewiththatman。Orcallitrevengeifyoulike，\"shesaidwithafaintsmile，\"andletmefightatyoursideagainstourcommonenemy!Please，Mr。
Rushbrook，don\'tdenymethis。Ihavecomethreethousandmilesforit；Icouldhavesentittoyou——orwritten——butIfearedyouwouldnotunderstandit。Youaresmiling——youwilltakeit?\"
\"Icannot，\"saidRushbrook，gravely。
\"ThenyouforcemetogointotheStockMarketmyself，andfightforyou，and，unaidedbyYOURgenius，perhapsloseitwithoutbenefitingyou。\"
Rushbrookdidnotreply。
\"Atleast，then，tellmewhyyou\'cannot。\'\"
Rushbrookrose，andlookingintoherface，saidquietlywithhisolddirectness:——
\"BecauseIloveyou，MissNevil。\"
Asuddeninstincttoriseandmoveaway，agreateronetoremainandhearhimspeakagain，andastillgreateronetokeepbackthebloodthatshefeltwasreturningalltooquicklytohercheekafterthefirstshock，kepthersilent。Butshedroppedhereyes。
\"IlovedyoueversinceIfirstsawyouatLosOsos，\"hewentonquickly；\"Isaidtomyselfeventhen，thatiftherewasawomanthatwouldfillmylife，andmakemewhatshewishedmetobe，itwasyou。Ievenfanciedthatdaythatyouunderstoodmebetterthananywoman，orevenanyman，thatIhadevermetbefore。I
lovedyouthroughallthatmiserablebusinesswiththatman，evenwhenmyfailuretomakeyouhappywithanotherbroughtmenonearertoyou。Ihavelovedyoualways。Ishallloveyoualways。IloveyoumoreforthisfoolishkindnessthatbringsYOUbeneathmyroofoncemore，andgivesmeachancetospeakmyhearttoyou，ifonlyonceandforthelasttime，thanallthefortunethatyoucouldputatmydisposal。ButIcouldnotacceptwhatyouwouldoffermefromanywomanwhowasnotmywife——andIcouldnotmarryanywomanthatdidnotloveme。IamperhapspasttheagewhenIcouldinspireayounggirl\'saffection；butIhavenotreachedtheagewhenIwouldacceptanythingless。\"Hestoppedabruptly。Gracedidnotlookup。Therewasatearglisteninguponherlongeyelashes，albeitafaintsmileplayeduponherlips。
\"Doyoucallthisbusiness，Mr。Rushbrook?\"shesaidsoftly。
\"Business?\"
\"Toassumeaproposaldeclinedbeforeithasbeenoffered。\"
\"Grace——mydarling——tellme——isitpossible?\"
Itwastoolateforhertorisenow，ashishandsheldbothhers，andhishandsomemouthwassmilinglevelwithherown。SoitreallyseemedtoadispassionatespectatorthatitWASpossible，andbeforeshehadlefttheroom，itevenappearedtobethemostprobablethingintheworld。
TheunionofGraceNevilandRobertRushbrookwasrecordedbylocalhistoryasthecrowntohisvictoryovertheRing。Butonlyheandhiswifeknewthatitwasthecause。