ic was above all things to be avoided in
the circumstances. "You find the tent too crowded? Let us look for a
quieter place, then. If you could get hold of a shawl or something,
Bob?"

Charteris obeyed, with exemplary outward meekness, and joined them
immediately in a smaller tent arranged as a card-room, but not yet put
to its intended use. Disregarding Gerrard's movement, he put the shawl
round Honour himself, and they stood waiting her pleasure in silence,
while she gripped her fan so hard in both hands that it broke in two.
She raised a crimson face at last.

"I wanted to speak to you together," she began again. "You both think
I have treated you badly, but indeed I did not mean it. But that was
not what I wished to say. I hear--some one--a friend--tells me that
you are angry with one another on my account. It makes me so unhappy,
and I don't see why----"

Her voice failed, and Charteris and Gerrard remained awkwardly silent,
each intensely conscious of the extreme superfluity of the other's
presence. Alone, either might have made shift to say something, but
with his rival there, whatever was said would only make things worse.
Looking up despairingly, Honour saw in their faces what made her cry
out in terror.

"Oh, you wouldn't! you wouldn't! Don't make me feel that I have done
such a dreadful thing! If you fought a duel about me I should die.
There is no need. I will promise never to marry any one--ever. I will
do it willingly, gladly. Isn't that enough? What more can I do? Only
tell me, and don't do such a wicked, unchristian thing."

"For pity's sake, Hal--you have the gift of the gab," growled Charteris
in Gerrard's ear, as she turned agonized eyes upon them.

"Play up to me, then," muttered Gerrard in response, and spoke aloud
and cheerfully. "My dear Miss Cinnamond, pray don't distress yourself.
My friend Charteris and I have no intention whatever of fighting a
duel. There has been a--a temporary misunderstanding between us, but
it is absolutely cleared up, I assure you."

"And as for the promise which you are good enough to offer to make, we
should regret it more than any one else, because, you see, we both hope
you will marry one of us," said Charteris, almost with levity.

"I shall never marry any one," said Honour remorsefully. "I have done
too much harm already."

"Harm? oh, nonsense!--if you'll forgive me for saying so," returned
Charteris. "It's done Gerrard and me a lot o