usly made excuses for not wanting to go to the cottage, not
because he thought Jessie did not like him as well as Narcisse, but
because he was willing to sacrifice his interest in her on the altar
of pure friendship. He called to memory the numberless acts of
kindness he had received from Narcisse in the camp, and how he had
been introduced to her by Narcisse, who he now felt sure sincerely
liked Jessie.

Instinctively Narcisse knew why Charlie desired to cease his visits to
the cottage, and it made his heart sore. He decided that he would not
go and see her unless Charlie was with him. When Charlie would
complain of feeling tired, off would come Narcisse's coat, and he
would declare that he was feeling completely done up, too, and would
not bother going down to the cottage. No amount of persuasion would
make him alter his decision.

After they had a pipe of tobacco, Charlie would generally, in a most
matter-of-fact manner, suggest that they both take a walk. Right well
did Narcisse know where the walk would be to, and always acquiesced in
such an unconcerned manner that no one would ever have imagined that
they had fully made up their minds a few minutes previously not to go
out.

One day more, and the month's vacation would be gone. Charlie and
Narcisse had been indoors all day, to escape the rain that had been
falling in great sheets since early morning. An ill-disposed wind was
buffeting the rain in such a fierce, malignant manner as to make one's
room a most desirable place to be in. Charlie and Narcisse had sat and
smoked until their tongues were dry and sore. It was a relief for them
to smoke; not so much to kill time as to break the long awkward pauses
in their conversation. Inwardly they had both decided that it was
impossible any longer to bear the constraint that had come between
them.

During the long day neither of them had been able to muster courage to
refer to the proposed trip to the west, although the day set for it
was so close at hand. They had both decided that day, however, that
they would right themselves in each other's eyes. Narcisse believed
Charlie loved Jessie; Charlie felt sure Narcisse loved her. Charlie
was not sure whether Jessie loved him or Narcisse the better. Narcisse
had, however, a pretty good idea who Jessie had taken a liking to.

When ten o'clock came, Charlie knocked the ashes out of his pipe, and
said he was going to bed, and would have a long sleep, as he was
played out