The Streets of Ascalon Part 48

"What!" she exclaimed, crisply.

"Fight hard, too," he added. "I'm on my mettle at last."

"You have no chance, Mr. Quarren."

"With--_him_?" He shrugged his contempt. "I don't consider him at all----"

"I don't care to hear you speak that way!" she said, hotly.

"Oh, I won't. A man's an a.s.s to vilify his rival. But I wasn't even thinking of him, Strelsa. My fight is with you--with your unknown self behind that barrier. _Garde a vous!_"

"I decline the combat, Monsieur," she said, trying to speak lightly.

"Oh, I'm not afraid of _you_--the _visible_ you that I'm looking at and which I know something about. That incarnation of Strelsa Leeds will fight me openly, fairly--and I have an even chance to win----"

"Do you think so?" she said, lip between her teeth.

"Don't you?"

"No."

"I do.... But it's your unknown self I'm afraid of, Strelsa. G.o.d alone knows what it may do to both of us."

"There is no other self! What do you mean?"

"There are _two_ others--not this intellectual, friendly, kindly, visible self that offers friendship and accepts it--not even the occult, aloof, spiritual self that I sometimes see brooding in your gray eyes----"

"There _is_ no other!" she said, flushing and rising to her feet.

"Is it dead?"

"It never lived!"

"Then," he said coolly, "it will be born as sure as I stand here!--born to complete the trinity." He glanced out over the lake, then swung around sharply: "You are wrong. It _has_ been born. And that unknown self is hostile to me; and I know it!"

They walked toward the house together, silent for a while. Then she said: "I think we have talked some nonsense. Don't you?"

"_You_ haven't."

"You're a generous boy; do you know it?"

"You say so."

"Oh, I'll cheerfully admit it. If you weren't you'd detest me--perhaps despise me."

"Men don't detest or despise a hurt and frightened child."

"But a selfish and cowardly woman? What does a man of your sort think of her?"

"I don't know," he said. "Whatever you are I can't help loving you."

She strove to laugh but her mouth suddenly became tremulous. After a while when she could control her lips she said:

"I want to talk some more to you--and I don't know how; I don't even know what I want to say except that--that----"

"What, Strelsa?"

"Please be--kind to me." She smiled at him, but her lips still quivered.

He said after a moment: "I couldn't be anything else."

"Are you very sure?"

"Yes."

"It means a great deal to me," she said.

They reached the house, but the motor party had not yet returned. Tea was served to them on the veranda; the fat setter came and begged for tastes of things that were certain to add to his obesity; and he got them in chunks and bolted them, wagging.

An hour later the telephone rang; it was Molly on the wire and she wanted to speak to Quarren. He could hear her laughing before she spoke:

"Ricky dear?"

"Yes."

"Am I an angel or otherwise?"

"Angel always--but why particularly at this instant?"

"Stupid! Haven't you had her alone all the after-noon?"

"Yes--you corker!"

"Well, then!"

"Molly, I worship you."

"_Et apres?_"

"I'll double that! I adore you also!"

"Content! What are you two doing?"

"Strelsa and I have been taking tea."

"Oh, is it 'Strelsa' already?"

"Very unwillingly on her part."