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 fore a new building. I couldn’t see where I was going. I got rather deep into the water and mud.”

“You are in rather deep, my friend,” cried Drew. “I’ll grant you that.”

Other hot words passed between them, but I did not listen. I had turned to Mary Will. “Whatever happens,” I said, “I shan’t forget what you tried to do for me.”

“Oh—it was all wrong,” she whispered. “I see that now. I have harmed you dreadfully—and I only meant to help. I did it on the spur of the moment. Why I did it I can’t imagine.”

“Can’t you? I can. Your first instinct was to protect the man you love.”

“No—no,” she protested.

“Poor Mary Will. All your denials won’t avail now. The deed is done. You supposed that I had lost my head—and killed Henry Drew.”

“It was silly of me—I didn’t stop to think. And everything looked against Rh