His face turned crimson, and he hung his head with shame.
Frank closed the door, and came to the side of his roommate, on whose shoulder he gently placed a hand, as he asked:
"How does it happen, Bart?"
Bart started to say something, choked a little, and then forced an unpleasant laugh.
"Oh, I'm a liar!" he burst out, hotly. "I have broken my pledge at the first temptation!"
"Why did you do it? You know you said you could leave off smoking cigarettes easily."
"I thought I could."
"And you found out the habit was fastened more firmly on you than you thought?"
"That's about the size of it. I have been longing for a cigarette all day, and, when I came by accident upon this one, finding myself all alone, I could not resist the desire to have a whiff."
"That shows the habit had a firmer hold on you than you thought."