Page:GB Lancaster--law-bringer.djvu/213

Rh "I have duplicated this voucher three times," he said. "Can you make the other three to-night?"

Dick was on night-watch from seven p.m. until midnight. He nodded, folding the sheet into his pocket-book.

"If this goes on we'll have to get a hand-press," he said. "There has been a lunatic of sorts in cells ever since I came, and that means sixfold vouchers each time."

"Oh, well; all in the day's work, I suppose." Tempest pushed his hair back. "Is everything ready for an early start in the morning?"

"I think so. Tempest, you're letting all this get hold of you too much, you know."

Tempest turned back to his blotting-pad impatiently.

"At least you keep the balance even," he said.

But when Dick had gone out he dropped his pen and sat still, with a fear which had lately come to life dawning in his eyes. Dimly he was beginning to know that he was deceiving himself; that he was deliberately building up and holding to a thing which had not, and never could have, any foundation. He fought against this knowledge with all his powers; telling himself that it was the right of man to seek a woman, to give to her love and protection and help, to enable her to fulfil her life gloriously and wisely and fully. This was man's right; one of the primal laws. Therefore, if he chose to give so to Andree where was the sin? A thousand times he told himself that there was no sin. The very height and fineness of his nature made it possible for him to deceive himself. He had given his all to the work. Now he was giving his all to the woman. Surely these were the two things which Nature and God required of him? But the fact that he had to assure himself of this so often suggested the flaw in it. He knew well that he was wrecking his powers and crippling his work; he knew that his unhappiness was due to more than Andree's indifference. And in the centre of his heart he knew that the truth was waiting, if he would look at it. He had lived too near that truth all his life not to know it. But he would not look. He was afraid of what it might tell him; and so he lived with his inner heart shut against himself, and he suffered accordingly.

Dick could do wrong if he wanted to; open-eyed, and in