"It would merely be unkindness if I did. If you would only——"
"No, please, that's enough," said Gerrard, and withdrew. Charteris was waiting for him on their verandah.
"By the look of gloom on your ingenuous countenance, Hal——" he began.
"Oh, bus, bus[1]!" said Gerrard wearily. "Yes, old boy, we're in the same boat, as before."
"There's one comfort, she won't get her bachelor Governor-General for some time," remarked Charteris; "for this man Blairgowrie that they're sending out is married."
"I hate stale jokes!" muttered Gerrard.
"You seem to have come off rather worse than I did. Look here, Hal; I'm going to propose a modification of our agreement. I've had first try this time, and next time you shall have it, without drawing lots. It's precious hard on you, if you are the right man, that you should only be able to approach her when she's already been rubbed the wrong way by my impudent pretensions."
"I ain't the right man. No one is. But you're a good chap, Bob, and
I'm not too proud to accept with thanks. At this moment, I confess it,
I don't feel as if I should ever summon up courage to come to the
scratch again, but no doubt it'll be different in a year or so."
"I believe you, my boy—especially when you know that if you don't take your chance, I shall. But what stately form comes this way? Our Mr James, as I live!"
"I happened to be passing, and I thought I would look in to tell you that it has been settled about Agpur," said James Antony, depositing his massive form in the chair vacated for him. "What! ain't there room for me unless you stand, Charteris? Shocking the luxury in which you young fellows live nowadays! Well, I'm glad the business is finished somehow, since my brother will perhaps be contented to trot peaceably back to the hills, but I can't say that your friend Sher Singh has got anything like his deserts. He is to be recognised and, within reasonable limits, supported, provided he fulfils certain not very onerous conditions. Nisbet is to visit Agpur City and settle the preliminaries of the frontier business and the affair of the Rani Gulab Kur's jointure, and will probably remain there as Resident. Well, well! if Sher Singh ain't loyal to us in future, he ought to be!"