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time since。 I mean when I first came in here along with the rest
of them。 I apologize。 Shake hands！ How are you？ Ready for the
march？〃
Frank met the oddly abrupt advance which had been made to him
with perfect good humor。
〃I am glad to be friends with you； Mr。 Wardour。 I wish I was as
well seasoned to fatigue as you are。〃
Wardour burst into a hard； joyless； unnatural laugh。
〃Not strong； eh？ You don't look it。 The dice had better have sent
me away； and kept you here。 I never felt in better condition in
my life。〃 He paused and added； with his eye on Frank and with a
strong emphasis on the words： 〃We men of Kent are made of tough
material。〃
Frank advanced a step on his side； with a new interest in Richard
Wardour。
〃You come from Kent？〃 he said。
〃Yes。 From East Kent。〃 He waited a little once more； and looked
hard at Frank。 〃Do you know that part of the country？〃 he asked。
〃I ought to know something about East Kent；〃 Frank answered。
〃Some dear friends of mine once lived there。〃
〃Friends of yours？〃 Wardour repeated。 〃One of the county
families； I suppose？〃
As he put the question； he abruptly looked over his shoulder。 He
was standing between Crayford and Frank。 Crayford； taking no part
in the conversation； had been watching him； and listening to him
more and more attentively as that conversation went on。 Within
the last moment or two Wardour had become instinctively conscious
of this。 He resented Crayford's conduct with needless
irritability。
〃Why are you staring at me？〃 he asked。
〃Why are you looking unlike yourself？〃 Crayford answered；
quietly。
Wardour made no reply。 He renewed the conversation with Frank。
〃One of the county families？〃 he resumed。 〃The Winterbys of Yew
Grange； I dare say？〃
〃No；〃 said Frank； 〃but friends of the Witherbys； very likely。 The
Burnhams。〃
Desperately as he struggled to maintain it； Wardour's
self…control failed him。 He started violently。 The clumsily…wound
handkerchief fell off his hand。 Still looking at him attentively；
Crayford picked it up。
〃There is your handkerchief； Richard；〃 he said。 〃Strange！〃
〃What is strange？〃
〃You told us you had hurt yourself with the ax〃
〃Well？〃
〃There is no blood on your handkerchief。〃
Wardour snatched the handkerchief out of Crayford's hand； and；
turning away； approached the outer door of the hut。 〃No blood on
the handkerchief；〃 he said to himself。 〃There may be a stain or
two when Crayford sees it again。〃 He stopped within a few paces
of the door； and spoke to Crayford。 〃You recommended me to take
leave of my brother officers before it was too late；〃 he said。 〃I
am going to follow your advice。〃
The door was opened from the outer side as he laid his hand on
the lock。
One of the quartermasters of the _Wanderer_ entered the hut。
〃Is Captain Helding here； sir？〃 he asked； addressing himself to
Wardour。
Wardour pointed to Crayford。
〃The lieutenant will tell you；〃 he said。
Crayford advanced and questioned the quartermaster。 〃What do you
want with Captain Helding？〃 he asked。
〃I have a report to make； sir。 There has been an accident on the
ice。〃
〃To one of your men？〃
〃No； sir。 To one of our officers。〃
Wardour； on the point of going out； paused when the quartermaster
made that reply。 For a moment he considered with himself。 Then he
walked slowly back to the part of the room in which Frank was
standing。 Crayford； directing the quartermaster； pointed to the
arched door way in the side of the hut。
〃I am sorry to hear of the accident；〃 he said。 〃You will find
Captain Helding in that room。〃
For the second time； with singular persistency； Wardour renewed
the conversation with Frank。
〃So you knew the Burnhams？〃 he said。 〃What became of Clara when
her father died？〃
Frank's face flushed angrily on the instant。
〃Clara！〃 he repeated。 〃What authorizes you to speak of Miss
Burnham in that familiar manner？〃
Wardour seized the opportunity of quarreling with him。
〃What right have you to ask？〃 he retorted； coarsely。
Frank's blood was up。 He forgot his promise to Clara to keep
their engagement secrethe forgot everything but the unbridled
insolence of Wardour's language and manner。
〃A right which I insist on your respecting；〃 he answered。 〃The
right of being engaged to marry her。〃
Crayford's steady eyes were still on the watch； and Wardour felt
them on him。 A little more and Crayford might openly interfere。
Even Wardour recognized for once the necessity of controlling his
temper； cost him what it might。 He made his apologies； with
overstrained politeness； to Frank。
〃Impos sible to dispute such a right as yours；〃 he said。 〃Perhaps
you will excuse me when you know that I am one of Miss Burnham's
old friends。 My father and her father were neighbors。 We have
always met like brother and sister〃
Frank generously stopped the apology there。
〃Say no more；〃 he interposed。 〃I was in the wrongI lost my
temper。 Pray forgive me。〃
Wardour looked at him with a strange； reluctant interest while he
was speaking。 Wardour asked an extraordinary question when he had
done。
〃Is she very fond of you？〃
Frank burst out laughing。
〃My dear fellow；〃 he said； 〃come to our wedding； and judge for
yourself。〃
〃Come to your wedding？〃 As he repeated the words Wardour stole
one glance at Frank which Frank （employed in buckling his
knapsack） failed to see。 Crayford noticed it； and Crayford's
blood ran cold。 Comparing the words which Wardour had spoken to
him while they were alone together with the words that had just
passed in his presence； he could draw but one conclusion。 The
woman whom Wardour had loved and lost wasClara Burnham。 The man
who had robbed him of her was Frank Aldersley。 And Wardour had
discovered it in the interval since they had last met。 〃Thank
God！〃 thought Crayford； 〃the dice have parted them！ Frank goes
with the expedition； and Wardour stays behind with me。〃
The reflection had barely occurred to himFrank's thoughtless
invitation to Wardour had just passed his lipswhen the canvas
screen over the doorway was drawn aside。 Captain Helding and the
officers who were to leave with the exploring party returned to
the main room on their way out。 Seeing Crayford； Captain Helding
stopped to speak to him。
〃I have a casualty to report；〃 said the captain； 〃which
diminishes our numbers by one。 My second lieutenant； who was to
have joined the exploring party； has had a fall on the ice。
Judging by what the quartermaster tells me； I am afraid the poor
fellow has broken his leg。〃
〃I will supply his place；〃 cried a voice at the other end of the
hut。
Everybody looked round。 The man who had spoken was Richard
Wardour。
Crayford instantly interferedso vehemently as to astonish all
who knew him。
〃No！〃 he said。 〃Not you； Richard！ not you！〃
〃Why not？〃 Wardour asked； sternly。
〃Why not； indeed？〃 added Captain Helding。 〃Wardour is the very
man to be useful on a long march。 He is in perfect health； and he
is the best shot among us。 I was on the point of proposing him
myself。〃
Crayford failed to show his customary respect for his superior
officer。 He openly disputed the captain's conclusion。
〃Wa