"There is a chance for you," she cried. "You can save your father. You could take him away--to Italy, to the south of France. He would recover. You would never have anything to fear from me again. I should be your friend."
"It is too late," I said. "You had your chance. I did what you asked."
She shrank back as though I had stabbed her.
"It is not too late," she said, feverishly. "Make it the test of his love. It will not be forever. I am not strong. I may not live more than a year or two. Let me have him--for that time. It is to save your father. Pray to him. He will consent. He does not dislike me. But, mon Dieu! I will not live without him. Oh, if you knew what it was to love."
I shook my head sorrowfully. Was it unnatural that I should pity her, even though she was my father's persecutor? Before I could speak to her Bruce was by our side. He had come a few steps to meet us. He held my hands tightly.
"I felt sure that you would be coming by this train," he said. "I have the tickets."
"I am coming with you, of course," he answered, turning round and walking by my side.
Olive Berdenstein was watching him eagerly. He had not taken the slightest notice of her. A faint flush, which had stolen into her face, faded slowly away. She became deadly white; she moved apart and entered the booking office. As she stood taking her ticket I caught a backward glance from her dark eyes which made me shiver.
"Why don't you speak to her?" I whispered.
"Why should I?" he answered, coolly. "She is doing her utmost to bring ruin upon you. She is our enemy."
"If yours, mine," he declared, smiling down upon me. "Isn't that so?"
"Even now she is willing to make terms," I said, slowly, with my eyes fixed upon the approaching train. "She is willing----"
"I thought that was all over and done with," he protested. "No one but a couple of girls could have hatched such a plot. I presumed you were not going to make any further suggestions of the sort seriously?"
I have never been quite sure whether I had intended to or not. At any rate, his words and expression then convinced me of the utter hopelessness of such an attempt. The train drew up, and he placed me in an empty carriage. He spoke to the guard and then followed me in. The door was locked. Olive Berdenstein walked slowly by and looked into our compartment. I believe she had meant to travel to London with us, but if so her design was frustrated. For the present, at any rate, we were safe from her.