"What the devil are you after, Jasper?"

"But I do my friend an injustice," went on the manager, undiverted.

"His career is infinitely more romantic. He has built himself a little

log house amongst the mountains, and he has decorated it and laid in a

supply of dainty and exquisite stuffs. I believe that there is even an

outing suit, small and narrow--"

"My God!" said Prosper, very low.

There was a silence. Jasper moved slightly, and Prosper started, but

the Jew stayed in his former place, only that he bent his head a

little, half-closed his eyes, and marked time with the hand that was

not buried in the plush above Betty's head. He recited in a heavy

voice, and it was here that Betty raised her muff!

Jasper is dying. By the time you get this letter he will be dead.

If you can forgive me for having failed in courage last year, come

back. What I have been to you before, I will be to you again, only

this time we can love openly. Come back.

"I am going mad!" said Prosper harshly, and indeed his face had a

pinched, half-crazy look.

The Jew waved his hand. "Oh, no, no, no. It is only that you are

making a discovery. Letters should be burnt, my friend, not torn and

thrown away, but burnt." He stood up to his stateliest height and he

made a curious and rather terrible gesture of breaking something

between his two hands. "I have this letter and I hold you and

Betty--so!" he said softly--"so!"

Betty spoke. "I might have told you that I loved him, that I have

loved him for years, Jasper. If you use this evidence, if you bring

this counter-suit, it will bring about the same, the very same,

result. Prosper and I--" She broke off choking.

"Of course. Betty and I will be married at once, as soon as she gets

her divorce, or you get yours." But Prosper's voice was hollow and

strained.

"You will be married, Betty," went on Jasper as calmly as before;

"you, branded in the eyes of the world as an unfaithful wife, will be

married to a man who has ceased to love you."

"That is not true," said Betty.

"Look at his face, my dear. Look at it carefully. Now, watch it

closely. Prosper Gael, if I should tell that with a little patience, a

little skill, a little unselfishness, you could win a certain woman

who once loved you--eh?--a certain Jane West, could you bring yourself

to marry this discarded wife of mine?"




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