s meaning was
clear. Charteris flung up his head contemptuously. "You're wrong
there," he said. "Speak for yourself. I want to see her married to
me, and I'd undertake to make her happy. I shall be an uncommon good
husband, I can tell you. What are you laughing at, pray?"

"I'm not laughing--at least, not exactly," gasped Gerrard, restraining
himself with difficulty. "Forgive me, old fellow. It was the picture
of you saying to the future Mrs Charteris, 'Be happy, or I'll know the
reason why,' that overcame me."

Charteris looked deeply offended, but after a moment joined in the
laugh. "Of course I know I can't put it pretty, as you could," he
admitted grudgingly. "But I mean to marry her, and make her happy too."

"And so do I," said Gerrard again. "But it's quite clear she can't
marry both of us, and mayn't marry either of us, ain't it? Well, what
I say is, let us carry the affair through decently, so that the best
man may win, if either of us wins at all. That appeals to you, doesn't
it?"

"Not a bit," said Charteris promptly. "You are the best man."

"Oh, don't be an ass. What do medals for mathematics matter here? You
are bigger than I am, and heaps better to look at. In fact, my dear
Bob, I might even say of you that you were the least little bit showy."
Gerrard was falling back insensibly into the old chaffing tone, but a
look on his friend's face warned him that the time was not yet quite
ripe for this, and he went on hastily. "At any rate, each of us has
advantages on his side, we'll say. Then let us fight fair. You
weren't thinking of proposing again every time you see her? In that
case, it would soon be _darwaza band_[2] when you called, I'm afraid.
Let us agree not to make any move, either of us, for a year--or six
months, if you insist upon it," as he read protest in Charteris's eye,
"and then draw lots which shall speak first. If she accepts that one,
the matter is settled--it's the fortune of war; if not, then the other
has his turn. If she refuses both, then ditto ditto at the end of
another six months."

Charteris, leaning against a pillar of the verandah, looked down at him
and laughed. "If I didn't know you for a cunning old weasel, I should
put you down as jolly green, Hal. Suppose she should meanwhile
intimate, in the most unimaginably proper and delicate way, a
preference for either of us?"

"For the present one or the absent one?" asked Gerrard drily. "Well,
in e