oked defiant; there was a hard fold to his lips.

"Hallo!" he said laconically; he sat down opposite to Sangster. "I
don't want any lunch; you fire away."

He seemed to avoid Sangster's eyes; there was a little awkward silence.

"How's the wife?" Sangster asked nervously.

Jimmy laughed mirthlessly.

"She's left me; she says she'll never live with me again."

"Left you!"

"Yes. . . . Oh, don't look so scandalised, man! I saw her off from
Euston myself; it was all outwardly quite a friendly arrangement.
She's gone down to Upton House; she's going to have a friend of hers to
stay with her for a time--a Miss Leighton----" He paused, and went on
heavily: "Of course, you've heard about--about----"

"Yes----"

"Well--well, they sent for me. It was too late! She--she was dead
when I got there; but Christine found out somehow--I don't know how. I
give you my word of honour I meant to have told her; but--she wouldn't
believe anything I said. . . . We--we had a row last night; I dare say
it was my fault. I was upset, of course----"

"Of course."

"And this morning I tried to apologise. I asked her to overlook
everything that had happened, and--and start again." Jimmy laughed
dully. "I--well, I believe she hates the sight of me."

Jimmy caught his breath hard on the memory of the burning hatred that
had looked at him from Christine's beautiful brown eyes.

"It's quite for the best--this arrangement. Don't think I'm blaming
her--I'm not; perhaps if she'd been a little older--if she'd known a
little more about the world--she'd have been more tolerant; I don't
know. Anyway, she's gone." He raised his humiliated eyes to
Sangster's distressed face.

"She will forgive you. She's hurt now, of course; but later on . . ."

Jimmy shook his head.

"She's made me promise to keep away from her for six months. I had no
option--she thinks the worst of me, naturally. She thinks that I--I
cared for--for Cynthia--right up to the end. . . . I didn't." He
stopped, choking. "She's dead--don't let's talk about it," he added.

Sangster had hardly touched his lunch; he sat smoking fast and
furiously.

"Six months is a long time," he said at last.

"Yes--it's only a polite way of saying she never wants to see me again;
and I don't blame her."

"That's absurd; she's too fond of you."

Jimmy hunched his shoulders.

"That's what I tried to flatter myself; but I know better now.
She--she wouldn't even shake ha