as he resumed: "I'm
thankful I was not too late, but I'm sorry I could not find Lance."

Jim was silent for a time. He had believed in Evelyn after
illumination had come on the sands. Although he knew his imagination
had cheated him, he owned her charm and his respect for her was strong.
Now he had got a jar. Evelyn was not the girl he had thought; it
looked as if she were calculating, unscrupulous, and weak. If she had
let him go before she had agreed to marry Lance, he could have forgiven
her much. He was savage with himself. It was for Evelyn's sake he had
lost Carrie, who was tender, brave, and staunch.

By and by he roused himself and asked: "Have you told your mother?"

"I have not. I felt I was forced to tell you, but it would be better
that nobody else should know. Florence, with whom Evelyn stayed, will
not talk."

Jim nodded. "You can trust me, Dick. The statements in this letter
are enough; Evelyn imagined she could not be happy with me, and she
was, no doubt, right!"

"You're a good sort, Jim," said Dick with some embarrassment. "It's
not strange you feel sore. It cost me something to be frank;
apologizing for one's sister is hard."

"It's done with," Jim said quietly, and as Dick got up a servant came
in with a pink envelope.

"A telegram for Mr. Halliday," she said. "As Mrs. Halliday was not at
home, the gardener brought it on."

The servant went out and Dick laughed harshly when he read the telegram.

"Evelyn was married this morning, but not to Lance," he said. "Well, I
expect mother will be satisfied. From one point of view, the marriage
is good."

"Then, you know the man?" said Jim, who sympathized with Dick's'
bitterness.

"I do," said Dick, very dryly. "He's rich and getting fat, but on the
whole, I imagine he's as good a husband as Evelyn deserves. I
sometimes thought he wanted her and she quietly held him off; it looks
as if she had lost no time now." He paused and the blood came to his
skin as he resumed: "I'm breaking rules, this is rotten bad form, but
you ought to be thankful you hadn't the misfortune to marry into our
family."

Jim put his hand on the other's arm. "Stop it, Dick! You have been
honest and we are friends. But I think you have said enough."

"Then give me a drink and let me go. I need bracing; the thing has
knocked me off my balance."

"Here you are," said Jim, who went to a cupboard, and Dick lifted his
glass.

"Good luck, Jim! You ar