Sidcup laughed bitterly.

"Do you think that would make any difference to her?" he retorted. "You

don't know much about women----"

"I don't!" interjected Derrick.

"----If you think that would put her off. It would make her more gone on

you than ever. She's that sort. And if you don't, or can't, marry her,

what are you going to do?"

"The Lord knows," groaned Derrick, desperately.

"Look here, Green, you're a gentleman," said Sidcup.

"Am I? Thank you. But I'm not so sure. I don't know that I've any claim

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to the title."

"You're a gentleman, right enough; we all know that," said Sidcup. "But

you haven't traded on it, I'll say that for you. And there's only one

thing for a man to do who is a gentleman----"

"And that is?" asked Derrick.

"To cut and run; to clear out," replied Sidcup. "Oh, don't make any

mistake! If you stay on with the company, things between you and Isabel

will grow from bad to worse."

"I tell you that it's your fancy, that you exaggerate----"

"She's one of the most beautiful women God ever made," said Sidcup,

ignoring Derrick's remonstrance, "and no man could resist for long such

a woman, especially when she's gone on him, as Isabel is on you. Yes,

there's only one thing for you to do, and that is to clear out as soon

as you're able. And if you're the straight man I think you, you'll do

it, for her sake--I won't say for mine."

Derrick rose painfully on his elbow.

"By Heaven, Sidcup," he said, in the stifled voice of a man who is

deeply moved, "you're a good chap; and, if I go, it will be for your

sake. I'd rather cut this hand off than come between a man and the girl

he loves."

"Yes, and there's another reason," said Sidcup, with a shake of the

head. "Isabel's not the only one; there's Alice."

Derrick's eyes shone angrily now.

"Oh, go to blazes!" he said. "You're out of your mind; you'll be telling

me that all the blessed women in the company----"

"Well, we'll let her go," said Sidcup, "though it's the truth. What are

you going to do?"

Derrick lay still for a moment or two; then he heaved a sigh. He had

found an occupation which, if it did not exactly suit him, provided him

with a living, and it was hard to be compelled to surrender it. It

seemed to him that he was doomed to be a wanderer, a fugitive; he had

flown from man's judgment; now he was told that he must fly from a

woman's love.




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