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Afterwards Kathlyn Rhodes 8070K 2023-09-02

"Don't you?" Cheniston's blue eyes gleamed in his brown face "I think you do Look here, Anstice There is nothing to be gained by hedging Let us fight fair and square, gloves off, if you like, and acknowledge that we both adree with that" Anstice's eyes, too, began to glitter "And--having said so round so far, suppose we go a little further I think--you will correctthat we both cherish a dreay made Anstice pause before he replied There was a touch of pathos, an unlooked-for poetry about the words which seemed to intieneral, Cheniston's regard for Iris Wayne was no light thing; and when he replied Anstice's voice had lost a little of its hostility

"As to your drea," he said quietly "For mine--well, a man's dreams are surely his own"

"Certainly, when they interfere with no other man's visions" Bruce hesitated a moment "But in this case--look here, Anstice, once before you shattered a drea took so from my life which can never be replaced I think you understand ?"

White to the lips Anstice answered hiretted the breaking of a drearetted it But----"

"Wait" Cheniston interrupted him ruthlessly "Hear me out It is three years since that day in India when the woman I loved died by your hand Oh"--Anstice had made an involuntary movement--"I anized that you could have done nothing else----"

"For that, at least, I thank you," said Anstice bitterly

"But you can't deny you didAnd"--Cheniston threay his cigarette impatiently--"are you prepared to make amends--now--or not?"

For a second Anstice's heart seeain, for he knew he had guessed Bruce Cheniston's ain time "Will you explain just what you mean?"

"Certainly" Yet for all his ready reply Cheniston hesitated "I mean--we're both of us in love with Iris Wayne Oh"--Anstice had --"let's be honest, anyway As to which--if either--of us she prefers, I'm as much in the dark as you But"--his voice was cold and hard as iron--"having robbedto rob me--try to rob me--of another?"