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Carried away by her trust in him Anstice turned to her ih for those words God knoould willingly, gladly die to shield you from any harm; and if help should not come in tis--firstly, that since that dreadful night I have never--failed--in that way again; and secondly, that to die in your service"--so nant hour--"would be a death which any ht envy me"

She did not reply in words; but her eyes answered for her and for a h half afraid he ered her by his last impetuous speech, Anstice spoke abruptly in another tone

"Odd, isn't it, how an action carried through in a moment may have such treo in that Indian hut you and I would not be here now, faced with this rather--difficult--situation It makes one realize that one should never act too hastily--without looking all round the subject, so to speak"

"Yes And yet--sometimes--if one stopped to think of the consequences one would be afraid to act, and let the vital moment slip," she said rather dreamily "Of course there is always the afterwards----"

"Do you knohat that reo when I was a student, I picked up a book of old plays at a bookstall in the Charing Cross Road And in one of the plays I came across this sentence: 'The deed itself , long afterwards hich to reckon'"

His voice died away; but she said nothing, though her eyes betokened her interest; and presently he resumed

"Well, that sentence has haunted h the years like the saying of so with the afterwardswill never be paid"

"Dr Anstice," she said quietly, "you are wrong The reckoning is paid; the atonement is made; and I am quite sure that the future--for you--will be rid for ever of the haunting shadow of the past And"--her cheeks blanched suddenly as a clamour arose in the courtyard outside--"I think the future is beginning--with trouble and danger--now"