صفحة 295 من 416

Code told her the whole thing from beginning to end, leaving out

only that part of Nat's cumulative scheme that had to do with

Nellie Tanner. He showed Elsa how his enemy had left no stone

unturned to bring him back home a pauper, a criminal, and one who

could never again lift his head among his own people even though

he escaped years in prison.

It was a brief and simple story, but he could see Elsa's face

change as emotions swept over it. Her remarks were few, but he

suddenly became aware that she was harboring a great and lasting

hatred against Nat. He did not flatter himself that it was on his

own account, nor did he ask the reason for it, but the knowledge

that such a hatred existed came to him as a decided surprise.

When he had finished his narrative she sat for some little time

silent.

"And you think, then," she asked at last, "that his motive for

all this is revenge, because his father happened to meet death on

the old May?"