Page 204 - The snake's pass

192 — — — I
the snake's pass.
" On niy account ! on my account ! And was it,
Arthur Severn, on my account that you asked, as I
presume you did, Norah Joyce to marry you—
take it for granted that your conduct was honourable,
to her at any rate—the woman whom I had told you I
loved, and that I wished to marry, and that you
assured me that you did not love, your heart being
fixed on another woman? I hate to speak so, Art!
but I have had black thoughts, and am not quite my-
self—was this all on my account ? " It was a terrible
question to answer, and I paused ; Dick went on :
" Was it on my account that you, a rich man, pur-
chased the home that she loved ; whilst I, a poor one,
had to stand by and see her father despoiled day by
day, and, because of my poverty, had to go on with a
hateful engagement, which placed me in a false posi-
tion in her eyes?"
Here I saw daylight. I could answer this scathing
question :
" It was, Dick—entirely on your account ! " He drew
away from me, and stood still, facing me in the twi-
light as he spoke :
" I should like you to explain, Mr. Severn—for your
own sake—a statement like that."
Then I told him, with simple earnestness, all the truth.
How I had hoped to further his love, since my own
seemed so hopeless—how I had bought the land intend-
ing to make it over to him, so that his hands might
be strong to woo the woman he loved—how this and