"
"The mischief it is! Why, Dacres, I'll be hanged if you're not using
the very words I myself used a few minutes ago."
"Am I?" said Dacres, gloomily.
"You certainly are; and that makes me think that our affairs are in a
similar complication."
"Oh no; mine is very peculiar."
"Well, there's one thing I should like to ask, and you needn't answer
unless you like."
"Well?"
"Doesn't your difficulty arise from some confounded woman or other?"
"Well--yes."
"By Jove, I knew it! And, old fellow, I'm in the same situation."
[Illustration: "BY JOVE, I KNEW IT!"]
"Oh ho! So you're driven away from England by a woman?"
"Exactly."
Dacres sighed heavily.
"Yours can't be as bad as mine," said he, with a dismal look. "Mine is
the worst scrape that ever you heard of. And look at me now, with the
child-angel all ready to take me, and me not able to be taken.
Confound the abominable complications of an accursed civilization, I
say!"
"And I say, Amen!" said Hawbury.
CHAPTER VI.
THE FIERY TRIAL.
"See here, old chap," said Hawbury, "I'm going to make a clean breast
of it."
"Of what?"
"Of my affair."
"That's right," said Dacres, dolefully. "I should like of all things
to hear it."
"You see I wouldn't tell you, only you yourself turn out to be in a
similar situation, and so what I have to say may prove of use to you.
At any rate, you may give me some useful suggestion.
"Very well, then," continued Hawbury--"to begin.
Pages:
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65