, I
admit, but during the past six weeks we have bridged an ordinary
acquaintanceship of as many years. Can you not trust me?"

Trust her? He laughed softly. Then, choosing his words with great
deliberation, he answered--"Yes, I can trust you. I intended to tell
you the story some day. Why not tonight?"

Unseen in the darkness Iris's hand sought and clasped the gold locket
suspended from her neck. She already knew some portion of the story he
would tell. The remainder was of minor importance.

"It is odd," he continued, "that you should have alluded to six years a
moment ago. It is exactly six years, almost to a day, since the trouble
began."

"With Lord Ventnor?" The name slipped out involuntarily.

"Yes. I was then a Staff Corps subaltern, and my proficiency in native
languages attracted the attention of a friend in Simla, who advised me
to apply for an appointment on the political side of the Government of
India. I did so. He supported the application, and I was assured of the
next vacancy in a native state, provided that I got married."

He drawled out the concluding words with exasperating slowness. Iris,
astounded by the stipulation, dropped her locket and leaned forward
into the red light of the log fire. The sailor's quick eye caught the
glitter of the ornament.

"By the way," he interrupted, "what is that thing shining on your
breast?"

She instantly clasped the trinket again. "It is my sole remaining
adornment," she said; "a present from my father on my tenth birthday.
Pray go on!"

"I was not a marrying man, Miss Deane, and the requisite qualification
nearly staggered me. But I looked around the station, and came to the
conclusion that the Commissioner's niece would make a suitable wife. I
regarded her 'points,' so to speak, and they filled the bill. She was
smart, good-looking, lively, understood the art of entertaining, was
first-rate in sports and had excellent teeth. Indeed, if a man selected
a wife as he does a horse, she--"

"Don't be horrid. Was she really pretty?"

"I believe so. People said she was."

"But what did _you_ think?"

"At the time my opinion was biased. I have seen her since, and she
wears badly. She is married now, and after thirty grew very fat."

Artful Jenks! Iris settled herself comfortably to listen.

"I have jumped that fence with a lot in hand," he thought.

"We became engaged," he said aloud.

"She threw herself at him," communed Iris.

"Her name was Eliza