I do not think I have ever been guilty of but one ungentlemanly act toward you, and that was unavoidable--I mean listening to your conversation with Captain Le Gaire." She shuddered, and gave utterance to a little cry.
"I loved you; with all my heart I loved you," I went on swiftly, driven by a sudden rush of passion.

"What you said then gave me a right to tell you so." "And was it because I was unwilling to listen that--that you did what you did later ?" she broke in hastily.
"Did later! You mean that I consented to meet Le Gaire ?" "Yes--that you compelled him to fight you; that you--Oh, God! Why bring this all up again ?" "Merely because nothing occurred of which I am ashamed.

Without doubt it was my love for you which caused the trouble.

But I was not the aggressor.

Did you suppose otherwise?
Le Gaire deliberately struck me across the face." She rose again to her feet, her cheeks blazing.
"It was the answer of a gentleman to an insult given the woman he was to marry," proudly.
"The answer to an insult! What insult ?" "You know; I shall not demean myself to repeat the words." So this was what she had been told! Well, I could block that lie with a sentence.
"Miss Hardy," I asked soberly, "are you aware that your father refused to act for Captain Le Gaire, but went to the field as my second ?" "No," her whole expression indicative of surprise.