en pity me!--I made her. And then she swore that she
would never forgive me. And she never has."

Hone turned quietly away, and put the dumb-bells into a corner. Duncombe
remained motionless, watching him.

"But she will, old chap," he said at last. "She will. Women do, you
know--when they understand."

"Yes, I know," said Hone. "But she never can understand. I tricked her
too thoroughly for that." He faced round again, his grey eyes level and
very steady.

"It's just my fate, Teddy," he said; "and I've got to put up with it.
However it may appear, the gods are not all-bountiful where I am
concerned. I may win everything in the world I turn my hand to, but I
have lost for ever the only thing I really want!"

III

It was two days later that Mrs. Chester decided to give what she termed
a farewell _fete_ to all Nina Perceval's old friends. Nina had always
been a great favourite with her, and she was determined that the
function should be worthy of the occasion.

To ensure success, she summoned Hone to her assistance. Hone always
assisted everybody, and it was well known that he invariably succeeded
in that to which he set his hand. And Hone, with native ingenuity, at
once suggested a water expedition by moonlight as far as the ruined
Hindu temple on the edge of the jungle that came down to the river at
that point. There was a spice of adventure about this that at once
caught Mrs. Chester's fancy. It was the very thing, she declared; a
water-picnic was so delightfully informal. They would cut for partners,
and row up the river in couples.

To Nina Perceval the plan seemed slightly childish, but she veiled her
feelings from her friend as she veiled them from all the world; for very
soon it would be all over, sunk away in that grey, grey past into which
she would never look again. She even joined in conference with Mrs.
Chester and Hone over the details of the expedition, and if now and
then the Irishman's eyes rested upon her as though they read that which
she would fain have hidden, she never suffered herself to be
disconcerted thereby.

When the party assembled on the eventful evening to settle the question
of partners, Hone was, as usual, in the forefront. The lots were drawn
under his management, not by his own choice, but because Mrs. Chester
insisted upon it. He presided over two packs of cards that had been
reduced to the number of guests. The men drew from one pack, the women
from the other; and thus ev