Her wound, he hoped--he felt confident--could not be serious.
Had it been, of course, the woman would have asked some further aid.
And since the moment when he had left her, no word had come to him.
More than once, temptation had whispered: "Go to her! She has deceived you, and you are master here.

But, above all, you are a man!" Twice he had all but yielded to this inner voice.

But he had not yielded.

Another and a sterner voice had said: "She is an interloper.
She has no rights.

Why give her another thought ?" This voice had prevailed.