The Second Honeymoon

arried, Costin," s

of another, and he was blowing rather agitated puffs of smoke

le, and just for an instant the syphon jerked,

, sir; to-to Miss Fa

momentary si

Jimmy Challoner curtly

m going to be married t

appiness, sir. And if I may ask, sir-w

y st

," he said; he did not look at Costin now. "Miss Wyatt has lost her mother recently-I dare say you know. I-er-I think that is all," he added, with a sort of embarrassment, as he recalled the times, the many times, he had

Cost

s,

to mention-Miss Farro

ectly

get out,"

hero to the valet. Left alone, Jimmy subsided again into his chair with a sigh. The day after to-morrow! it seemed as if it m

even with Jimmy. And she loved Jimmy; she seemed to love him all the more now that he was all that was left to her. Jimmy realised it, too, and it worried him. He mea

him over because he was not rich enough, because she valued diamonds and beautiful clothes more than she valued

Horatio, who had cabled that he was delighted, and that he wa

shell out now, when-when-he pulled up his thoughts sharply; he tried to remember that he was already almost

ened; Costi

ir-a lady

ha

ly. "A lady to see me? R

," said Costin stolidly. "It's-if

ound slowly and mechanically, almost as if someone h

rushed from his brow to chin; his heart began to race just as it used to in the old days when he had called to see her, an

r to come i

he looked at his tie with critical eyes; he wished there had been time to shave, he wished-and the

oked more desirable, and yet for the life of him he could not have told what she was

ands to him; she w

," she

and take her in his arms; then he remembered. He

you come here fo

laug

don't look a bit ple

you'd be so hap

arm; she leaned her cheek against his coat-sleeve; the scen

fen his arm beneath her cheek; but his heart

n she looked up at him with a litt

forgive me-is that it

in front of him, looking into his face

red steadily over her head at th

of forgiveness-is i

p. You-you told me a

stion of forgiven

ce between her hands, holding it so that he was forced to m

ess in her voice. "I'm more sorry than I can ever say. Forgive me, Jimmy

t of dread in his eyes. There were tears in hers; one big tear fell

t he spoke wi

hat are you tryi

sides; she looked down

nd how poor you are. I thought I did, but-oh, Jimmy, I'd rather have you, a

y in his face which she had so confidently expected; none of the passionate joy in his voice which her heart told he

? Oh, you are frightening me. I thought you would be so glad-so glad." She

re himself free wi

-too late," he

. "What-what do you mean? That-that you can't fo

, white-faced

d again hopelessly. "I'

er send me away?" he

t she was still far en

married-you!

r in a voice o

ou that I met some friends in the theatre that night when you . . . well, I'm engaged to her-to Christine. I've known her al

ok in them. She had never even remotely dreamed of this; it was like some crude nightmare. . . . Jimmy engaged! Jimmy who had sworn a

no-

d Jimmy obstinat

not believe even now that she was in earnest; he found himself remembering that night in her dressing-room at the theatre when she had lied to him, and pre

broke ou

for years. It's-it's absurd!" She took a step towards him. "You must tell her, Jimmy

made him wince; he thought of

him to a promise which he was unwilling to fulfil; he thought of h

it's too late . . . w

is fixed up. I-oh, fo

out it. You drove me t

I can't go bac

e stood; she tried to put her arms round his neck, but he resisted fier

ing back on it now. You can't blame me. . . . I-I'd have given my l

cared more for me than I do for you, but now I know you don't-you don't care so much. If you did you would give up this-this girl, whoever she is, withou

; you lied to me

he dared not for one instant allow himself to forget everyt

e dropped into a chair, hi

immy was too miserable to be critical. He only knew that s

out agi

you break my heart. . . Oh,

if you can stand there like a stone and tell me that it's too late. It's not too late; y

at the hotel where Mrs. Wyatt had died, and the crushed little figure of Chr

e." Her voice came back to him, a mou

ot me, Ch

that-how could he add

oking at Cynthia now, as if he found it easier. "She has just lost he

was carefully wiping her eyes; she got up and walked over to t

d a little. She picked up her gloves and a silver chain-bag which she had

He walked past her and put his fingers on the door handle to

r an instant; she was

she said a

ind his voice; their eyes met, and

ards her, or she to him; but he held her fast, kissing her as he had ne

then, after all

fell back against the

do," he sa

not bear to look at her; when she had gone, he sat d

racing; his he

late to break her heart. And yet there was only one woman in all the world whom he loved, and whom he wanted-the woman from whom he ha