“What's the matter?” she asked. “Have you lost some money I don't know about?”
“I haven't,” Charnock answered with a hoarse laugh. “The letter's from some English friends. You head that Festing had gone back to the Old Country. Well, he's going to be married soon and will bring his wife out.”
“Do you know her? Who is she?”
“Yes; I know her very well. She's Helen Dalton.”
“The girl you ought to have married!” Sadie exclaimed. “What's she like? I guess you have her picture, though you haven't shown it me.”
“I had one, but haven't now. I meant to burn the thing, but suspect that Festing stole it. Confound him!”
Sadie was silent for a few moments and then gave Charnock a searching look. “Anyhow, I don't see why that should make you mad. You let her go and took me instead. Do you reckon she'd have been as patient with you as I am?”
“No,” said Charnock, rather drearily. “Helen isn't patient, and I dare say I'd have broken her heart. You have done your best for me, and I expect you find it a hopeless job. For all that, I never thought Festing——”
“It's done with,” Sadie rejoined quietly, although there was some color in her face. “If the girl likes Festing, what has it to do with you? Besides, as he has located some way back from the settlement, there's no reason you should meet him or his wife.” Then she frowned and got up. “But the place is very cold; we'll go home.”
Charnock put out the light and locked the door, but he was silent as they walked across the snow to the hotel, and Sadie wondered what he thought. There was no doubt he was disturbed, or he would have tried to coax her into abandoning her resolution to put him on an allowance. She meant to be firm about this.