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“Yes, Nell. From the first time I saw her. But I’d cut my hand off first. I’d think of you; of our people that have been here for two hundred years; of the rooms in the old house where mother used to be.”

Fabian laughed nervously. “Holy heaven, and you’ve got her in your blood, too!”

“Yes, but I’d never marry her. Fabian, at Montreal I found out all about her. She was as bad–“

“That’s nothing to me, Henri,” said Fabian, “but something else is. Here you are now. I’ll make a bargain.” His face showed pale in the moonlight. “If you’ll drink with me, do as I do, go where I go, play the devil when I play it, and never squeal, never hang back, I’ll give her up. But I’ve got to have you–got to have you all the time, everywhere, hunting, drinking, or letting alone. You’ll see me out, for you’re stronger, had less of it. I’m soon for the little low house in the grass. Stop the horses.”

Henri stopped them and they got out. They were just opposite the lime-kiln, and they had to go a few hundred yards before they came to the bridge to cross the river to their home. The light of the fire shone in their faces as Fabian handed the flask to Henri, and said: “Let’s drink to it, Henri. You half, and me half.” He was deadly pale.

Henri drank to the finger-mark set, and then Fabian lifted the flask to his lips.

“Good-bye, Nell!” he said. “Here’s to the good times we’ve had!” He emptied the flask, and threw it over the bank into the burning lime, and Garotte, the old lime-burner, being half asleep, did not see or hear.

The next day the two went on a long hunting expedition, and the following month Nell Barraway left for Montreal.

Henri kept to his compact, drink for drink, sport for sport. One year the crops were sold before they were reaped, horses and cattle went little by little, then came mortgage, and still Henri never wavered, never weakened, in spite of the Cure and all others. The brothers were always together, and never from first to last did Henri lose his temper, or openly lament that ruin was coming surely on them. What money Fabian wanted he got. The Cure’s admonitions availed nothing, for Fabian would go his gait. The end came on the very spot where the compact had been made; for, passing the lime-kiln one dark night, as the two rode home together, Fabian’s horse shied, the bank of the river gave way, and with a startled “Ah, Henri!” the profligate and his horse were gone into the river below.

Next month the farm and all were sold, Henri Paradis succeeded the old lime-burner at his post, drank no more ever, and lived his life in sight of the old home.