A few moments ago he had seemed on the verge of utter collapse.

Now he stiffened with a new accession of courage.

Britz, studying this weakling, discerned unmistakable signs that Collins's courage was not drawn from any internal spring.

It was communicated to him from without, probably by some dominating mind to whose guidance he had agreed to submit.

His strength was continually replenished through reliance on someone in whose judgment he had an abiding faith; a faith that even Britz's convincing recital of condemning circumstances was unable to shake.