went on, slowly dragging out the words, "but it's harder when
I do; so I'm going to say 'good-night' and run into town."

He stood for a moment staring moodily at the floor, and then dropped
into a chair beside her.

"And, I believe, I've not told you," he went on, "that on Wednesday I'm
running away for good, that is, for a year or two. I've made all the
fight I can and I lose, and there is no use in my staying on here
to--well--to suffer, that is the plain English of it. So," he
continued briskly, "I won't be here for the ceremony, and this is
'good-by' as well as 'good-night.'"

"Where are you going for a year?" asked Miss Forbes.

Her voice now showed no concern. It even sounded as though she did not
take his news seriously, as though as to his movements she was
possessed of a knowledge superior to his own. He tried to speak in
matter-of-fact tones.

"To Uganda!" he said.

"To Uganda?" repeated Miss Forbes. "Where is Uganda?"

"It is in East Africa; I had bad luck there last trip, but now I know
the country better, and I ought to get some good shooting."

Miss Forbes appeared indifferently incredulous. In her eyes there was
a look of radiant happiness. It rendered them bewilderingly beautiful.

"On Wednesday," she said. "Won't you come and see us again before you
sail for Uganda?"

Winthrop hesitated.

"I'll stop in and say 'good-by' to your mother if she's in town, and to
thank her. She's been awfully good to me. But you--I really would
rather not see you again. You understand, or rather, you don't
understand, and," he added vehemently, "you never will understand." He
stood looking down at her miserably.

On the driveway outside there was a crunching on the gravel of heavy
wheels and an aurora-borealis of lights.

"There's your car," said Miss Forbes. "I'll go out and see you off."

"You're very good," muttered Winthrop. He could not understand. This
parting from her was the great moment in his life, and although she
must know that, she seemed to be making it unnecessarily hard for him.
He had told her he was going to a place very far away, to be gone a
long time, and she spoke of saying "good-by" to him as pleasantly as
though it was his intention to return from Uganda for breakfast.

Instead of walking through the hall where the others were gathered, she
led him out through one of the French windows upon the terrace, and
along it to the steps. When she saw the chauffeur standing