"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。