"And hence you requested this pleasant conference," broke in Hampton,
coolly, "to inform me, from your calm eminence of respectability, that
I was no fit companion for such a young and innocent person, and to
warn me that you were prepared to act as her protector."
Brant slightly inclined his head.
"I may have had something of that nature in my mind."
"Well, Lieutenant Brant," and the older man rose to his feet, his eyes
still smiling, "some might be impolite enough to say that it was the
conception of a cad, but whatever it was, the tables have unexpectedly
turned. Without further reference to my own personal interests in the
young lady, which are, however, considerable, there remain other
weighty reasons, that I am not at liberty to discuss, which make it
simply impossible for you to sustain any relationship to Miss Gillis
other than that of ordinary social friendship."
"You--you claim the right--"
"I distinctly claim the right, for the reason that I possess the right,
and no one has ever yet known me to relinquish a hold once fairly
gained. Lieutenant Brant, if I am any judge of faces you are a
fighting man by nature as well as profession, but there is no
opportunity for your doing any fighting here. This matter is
irrevocably settled--Naida Gillis is not for you."
Brant was breathing hard. "Do you mean to insinuate that there is an
understanding, an engagement between you?" he faltered, scarcely
knowing how best to resent such utterance.
"You may place your own construction upon what I have said," was the
quiet answer. "The special relations existing between Miss Gillis and
myself chance to be no business of yours. However, I will consent to
say this--I do enjoy a relationship to her that gives me complete
authority to say what I have said to you. I regret having been obliged
by your persistency to speak with such plainness, but this knowledge
should prove sufficient to control the actions of a gentleman."
For a moment the soldier did not answer, his emotions far too strong to
permit of calm utterance, his lips tightly shut. He felt utterly
defeated. "Your language is sufficiently explicit," he acknowledged,
at last. "I ask pardon for my unwarranted intrusion."
At the door he paused and glanced back toward that motionless figure
yet standing with one hand grasping the back of the chair.
"Before I go, permit me to ask a single question," he said, frankly.
"I was a friend of old Ben Gillis, and he was a friend to my father
before me. Have you any reason to suspect that he was not Naida
Gillis's father?"