And he had got precisely what he deserved, sorry as he felt for his sufferings.
Then Kate's face rose before him--haunted him.

Why hadn't she seen it this way?
Why had she refused to look at him--refused to answer him--driven him away from her side, in fact ?--he who had risked his life to save her from insult! Why wouldn't she allow him to even touch her hand?
Why did she treat Willits--drunken vulgarian as he was--differently from the way she had treated him?
She had broken off her engagement with him because he was drunk at Mrs.Cheston's ball, where nobody had been hurt but himself, and here she was sympathizing with another drunken man who had not only outraged all sense of decency toward her, but had jeopardized the life of her affianced husband who defended her against his insults; none of which would have happened had the man been sober.

All this staggered him.
More astounding still was her indifference.

She had not even asked if he had escaped unhurt, but had concentrated all her interest upon the man who had insulted her.

As to his own father's wrath--that he had expected.