saw him there was no difference. He brought a smell of smoke into the
room with him, and talked slang, just as he always did."

"But why should one recall obvious things like that? Would you have
had me try to belittle him to you--if you must think worse of a man for
such trifles as smoking and using slang?"

"Trifles in your estimation, perhaps; not in mine."

"Well, at any rate it shows you can't care for him," said Gerrard
despairingly, "or you wouldn't notice them."

"I consider that remark extremely rude and uncalled-for," said Honour,
with spirit. "You have no right whatever to pass judgment upon my
feelings."

"Pardon me, but how can I help it? Perhaps you mean that if Bob left
off slang and smoking he would be all right?"

"And if I did, how would it concern you?"

"Oh, merely that I think you ought to tell him, or let me."

"You think he would do it?"

"Like winkin'. Oh, I _beg_ your pardon. I would, I know, just as I
would do any mortal thing you cared to ask me. Ask me, Honour. Can't
you give me a bit of hope?"

"How can I? You would not be satisfied--either of you--if I said I
would marry you just to escape from unpleasantness of this kind. I
mean"--hastily, as she caught sight of his face--"I dislike so much
hurting people's feelings, but with you and Mr Charteris I seem able to
do nothing else. If you would only both take my answer as final, and
let us all be happy and friendly together as we were before this idea
came into your minds!"

"We weren't," said Gerrard doggedly. "I was introduced to you two days
before Charteris was, and all that time I was in terror, guessing what
would happen as soon as he saw you. And sure enough, he raved about
you all night, until I put a stop to it by throwing things across the
room."

"Please don't tell me things of that kind," said Honour, her colour
rising. "They do not interest me. You have a great influence over Mr
Charteris. Why not use it to make him see things sensibly, and give up
these attempts?"

"Because I wouldn't do it myself. If you could say that you felt the
least kindness towards one of us, then the other would withdraw--or
towards any one else, then both of us, I hope, would do the proper
thing and leave him in peace. But while there's still a fair
chance--why, I shall hold on, and so will old Bob, if I know anything
of him."

"That is exactly what Mr Charteris said," remarked Honour musingly.
"Well, I am very sorr