Your life has been an easy one surrounded by honour, while mine has been spent half the time grubbing in the dust and the mire for gold, and the rest fighting--sometimes with one hand tied behind me!--against the men who would have robbed me of it.

I have had to fight them with their own weapons--sometimes they haven't been clean--sometimes it has been necessary to do--to do things!--God! Stafford, don't turn away from me! I would have kept this from you if I could, but I am obliged to tell you now.

Ralph Falconer knows all the details of my past, he knows of things which--which, if they were known to the world, would stain the name I have raised to honour, would make it necessary for me to hide my head in a suicide's grave." A low cry burst from Stafford's lips, and he sank into a chair, and bowed his head upon his hands.
Sir Stephen stood a little way off and looked at him for a minute, then he advanced slowly, half timidly and ashamedly, and laid a trembling hand on Stafford's shoulder.
"Forgive me, Stafford!" he said, in a low, broken voice.

"I was obliged to tell you.

I'd have kept it from you--you would never have known--but Falconer has forced my hand; I was bound to show you how necessary it was that we should have him as friend instead of foe.