schief. Also because I wished to make you say
it for me that I might judge from the effect of your words
whether it is or is not true. I may add that I fear the former
to be the case."

"Well, if you are in love with the girl you can't expect one so
ancient as myself, who is quite out of touch with such follies,
to teach you how to act."

"No, Allan. Unfortunately there are occasions when one must
rely upon one's own wisdom, and mine, what there is of it, tells
me I had better get out of this. But I can't ride even if I took
the horse and you ran behind, and the oxen haven't come."

"Perhaps you could borrow Miss Marnham's cart in which to run
away from her," I suggested sarcastically.

"Perhaps, though I believe it would be fatal to my foot to sit up
in a cart for the next few days, and the horses seem to have been
sent off somewhere. Look here, old fellow," he went on, dropping
his bantering tone, "it's rather awkward to make a fool of
oneself over a lady who is engaged to some one else, especially
if one suspects that with a little encouragement she might begin
to walk the same road. The truth is I have taken the fever
pretty bad, worse than ever I did before, and if it isn't stopped
soon it will become chronic."

"Oh no, Anscombe, only intermittent at the worst, and African
malaria nearly always yields to a change of climate."

"How can I expect a cynic and a misogynist to understand the
simple fervour of an inexperienced soul--Oh! drat it all,
Quatermain, stop your acid chaff and tell me what is to be done.
Really I am in a tight place."

"Very; so tight that I rejoice to think, as you were kind enough
to point out, that my years protect me from anything of the sort.
I have no advice to give; I think you had better ask it of the
lady."

"Well, we did have a little conversation, hypothetical of course,
about some friends of ours who found themselves similarly
situated, and I regret to say without result."

"Indeed. I did not know you had any mutual acquaintances. What
did she say and do?"

"She said nothing, only sighed and looked as though she were
going to burst into tears, and all she did was to walk away. I'd
have followed her if I could, but as my crutch wasn't there it
was impossible. It seemed to me that suddenly I had come up
against a brick wall, that there was something on her mind which
she could not or would not let out."

"Yes, and if you want to know, I will tell you what it