"Look here!" he cried. "You know
Cortlandt and you know me. The man was insanely jealous! I know it
sounds weak, but it's the truth, and it's all I can say. I'll go
mad if you doubt me."
Runnels' face showed the pain he felt, but his eyes looked
incredulous.
"Another thing," Kirk went on, desperately: "do you suppose that
if what you believe were true I could have the inhuman nerve to
come here to-night? That would make me a fool or a monster!"
"I don't know," said Runnels.
"You do know. You know ME. If we weren't such friends I wouldn't
argue with you like this, but--I can't bear it. And to-night of
all--" He broke off sharply. "My God! I'd forgotten that I'm
married! Suppose Gertrudis hears of this! If it ever gets to her--
I--believe I could kill him."
"Don't talk like that."
"I never really thought I could take a person's life, but if she
heard she might believe; everybody else seems to believe.
Understand, she hardly knows me. She might--she might--" Anthony
seized his temples in despair.
Runnels took a sudden illogical decision. He never knew exactly
what had influenced him, but his whole past knowledge of Anthony
surged up in him with a force that he could not resist. He found
that he could not really believe him capable of this abomination
any more than he could believe it of himself.
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