“Oh, all right,” said Charlie crossly, “we’ll go after tea.”

Anything seemed better than this rallying mood of Mrs. Marland’s.

Presently the two young men went off together to play a game at billiards; but after half a dozen strokes Charlie plumped down in a chair.

“I say, Calder, old chap, how do you feel?” he asked.

Calder licked his cigar meditatively.

“Better,” said he at last.

“Oh!”

“And you?”

“Worse—worse every day. I can’t stand it, old chap. I shall go back.”

“What, to her?”