I'm afraid that I shan't be present
to witness the event." He thrust the paper into my hands and
approached the window, out of which he leaned and stared at the garden
flowers below. . . . "When I asked her why it could not be, she
answered that she had no love to give in return for mine." Presently
he rapped his pipe on the sill and drew in his head. His brow was
wrinkled and his lips were drawn down at the corners. With some shame
I remembered that I had thought only of myself during the past few
months. "Jack," he said, "I have gone around with you for the
excitement of it, for the temporary forgetfulness, and because I wanted
to see you well cared for before I left you. The excitement took my
mind from my own malady, but it has returned to-day with all its old
violence. There is the same blood in our veins. We must have one
woman or none. I must get away from all this. We are at the parting
of the ways, old man. To-night I leave for India. The jungle is a
great place. I am glad for your sake that you are not to go with me.
Sometimes one gets lost."
"She may change her mind," I said, putting a hand on his.
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