Page:Stanwood Pier--The ancient grudge.djvu/451

440 his men as it could not otherwise be explained and which makes it all the more abominable. Now I have said to you on this subject all that I propose to say. If you can retain your old belief in Floyd, do it, by all means. Only do not insist upon my sharing it; for that, in view of what I know, is impossible." He reached out and took up his magazine.

Lydia sat looking at her husband with startled eyes.

"Stewart!" she said at last, "Stewart!"

He lowered his magazine reluctantly. "You say you know—you cast a blight on Floyd's good name. You make it all a mystery, you do not say what you know or how you know it—and I, being a woman, will not ask what this dreadful thing is." She spoke with a swift earnestness in her low voice. "But one thing I have a right to demand—and that is how you know. Who gave you your knowledge? What is your proof?"

"The matter has been common talk among the people of New Rome for years," he replied indifferently.

"And you accept the vile slander of men with a grievance—men who hate him—you let them poison your mind! 'Common talk of the people of New Rome!' You listen to some vile gossip—I don't know what—and then come to me and say you know! Oh, Stewart, Stewart!What has made you so cruel, so vindictive! What has warped your mind!"

"It is n't only common talk that makes me know," he answered, so stung by her rebuke that he was hardly conscious of uttering a lie. "I can't go into details—I can't tell yon anything about the affair. I will admit that I should n't have spoken of it to you; the words slipped out unintentionally. After all, to condemn Floyd, one need n't go back further than the occurrence of this morning."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean that the whole affair was deliberately planned to provoke violence. Floyd hired this gang of turbulent, lawless dare-devils,—the very fellows that all along had