Her Forbidden Knight by Rex Stout Read Free Book Online Page B

and you know I am grateful. I can never thank you enough.”
    Dumain was silent.
    “But what is the service you have rendered me?” Lila said presently.
    “One zat you may not thank me for,” said Dumain.
    “But what was it?”
    “Killing anozzer dragon—of zee human species.”
    She frowned.
    “I’m afraid I don’t understand you.”
    Dumain stammered something about “men” and “danger,” and “the need of a protector.” He was finding it harder than he had thought.
    “But what do you mean?” Lila insisted.
    The little Frenchman gathered himself together and plunged in.
    “I mean,” he said impressively, “zat we have dropped Knowlton and told heem to stay away from you.”
    The unexpectedness of it made Lila catch her breath in surprise. Then her face colored gloriously, treacherously. A little tremulous, uncertain laugh came from between her lips.
    “That was hardly necessary, was it?” she inquired with a brave attempt at indifference.
    “We thought so,” Dumain answered, admiring her courage. He was thinking to himself: “She’s a thoroughbred. Mon Dieu! What a woman!”
    “You see,” he added aloud, “we found out something about heem that was not exactly to his credit. So, of course, we cut heem. What does that mean?” noticing a curious smile on Lila’s face.
    “I was just thinking,” said Lila slowly, “that it must be a very good man who could afford to say to another man: ‘You are not fit to associate with me.’ Don’t you think so?”
    Dumain winced.
    “But that wasn’t it,” he protested. “We were thinking of you. None of us pretend to be angels. But we know you are one.”
    “But why should you have singled out Mr. Knowlton?” Lila insisted, ignoring the compliment. “He acted just as the rest of you. He is kind to me—so are you, so is Mr. Dougherty. He has never offended me.”
    Dumain opened his mouth as though to answer; but was silent.
    “Why?” Lila persisted.
    Dumain stammered something about roses.
    “Roses!” exclaimed Lila in amazement. “What do you mean?”
    “I mean zat you take hees roses home,” said Dumain desperately, “and no one else’s.”
    He should have known better. No one can get a secret from a woman in that manner; provided, of course, that it is her own secret. Lila leaned back in her chair and laughed delightedly. The little Frenchman regarded her with a comical expression of wounded vanity.
    “Oh!” Lila cried, as soon as she could speak. “Mr. Dumain, you are positively childish! You must forgive me; but it is so funny!”
    It was too much for Dumain; he gave it up.
    “Tom!” he called in the tone of a drowning man crying for help.
    Dougherty rose from the seat Dumain had assigned to him and came over to them. In as few words as possible Dumain explained his dilemma, telling him that Lila was aggrieved at their attitude toward Knowlton.
    Lila interrupted him.
    “Not aggrieved,” she said. “It does not especially interest me; only it seems unjust. And I see no reason for it.”
    Dougherty turned to Dumain.
    “Why did you say anything about it to her?” he growled.
    Dumain, having nothing to say, was silent.
    Dougherty turned to Lila.
    “And you think we are unjust?”
    “Yes,” she replied.
    “Well, you are wrong.”
    “I believe I am right.”
    Dougherty reflected for a moment, sighed for courage, cleared his throat, and said:
    “Miss Williams, it is time we understand each other. Now is as good a time as any.”
    “I don’t understand you,” said Lila.
    “You will before I get through. I only ask you to remember what I—what we think of you.
    “You know what we’ve done—not much, perhaps, but all we could—to show you how we feel. We’ve been glad enough for the chance. There’s not much good in any of us, but we’re always anxious to use what we’ve got.
    “Now about Knowlton. As long as he was merely one of us, we asked no questions. He was good enough for us. And I guess he always treated