wnship on the border line between the Eastern and Western
Province, and had come to Fort Lamport to try and set up a practice
there if he could buy out the District Surgeon, who was old and inclined
to be shaky. "Yes," I thought somewhat bitterly, "and his reasons for
coming to that particular place are not difficult to fathom."

For it was obvious to my mind that things were coming to a head. He and
Beryl were a great deal together, and more and more of an excellent
understanding seemed to exist between them, and in the light of this it
seemed equally obvious that, apart from the catastrophe which had
overtaken myself, I had been indulging in false hopes before--living in
a fool's paradise, and I don't know whether the discovery rendered the
situation any better for me or not.

One day I came upon them out riding. I had been doing an exhaustive
round of the place and struck the main road. The bush grew right down
to this on each side, and as I gained it I could see two other riders
approaching. Even then I would have withdrawn, not wishing to be the
one too many, but they had seen me. Yet I had seen them a little
before: had seen how happy they looked together, and, with a jealous
pang, how well they looked together, how completely they seemed to
match.

Beryl was looking lovely, the warm paleness of her face just suffused by
the exercise, and the generous kiss of the free open air with just a
sparkle of crisp keenness in it. She looked splendid in the saddle,
too, as she always did, sitting her horse with the most perfect ease and
grace--Meerkat, that very horse I had risked my life to recover and
restore to her. Many a similar ride had we had together, she and I.
And ah! how little I had appreciated it then, I found myself thinking;
yet now to look back upon those times! But they would not bear looking
back upon.

Pentridge seemed, I thought, ever so slightly put out as I joined them,
yet he need not have, for whatever my failings I flattered myself I was
not quite such a fool as Trask, and consequently knew when I was not
wanted. Beryl, on the other hand, did not give even the most subtle
indication of disturbance; but then, after all, women are much better
actors than we are.

"Had a good ride?" I asked carelessly, dropping the bridle rein on the
horse's neck, and shielding a match with my hands to light a pipe.

"Er--yes. Jolly," answered Pentridge. But Beryl said--

"I don't think there's muc