Jim put his hand on the other's arm. "Stop it, Dick! You have been honest and we are friends. But I think you have said enough."
"Then give me a drink and let me go. I need bracing; the thing has knocked me off my balance."
"Here you are," said Jim, who went to a cupboard, and Dick lifted his glass.
"Good luck, Jim! You are lucky, you know. But if you're not a fool, you'll marry Carrie Winter."
He went out and Jim sat down again, looking straight in front, with knitted brows. He did not know how long he mused, but he got up abruptly when Carrie came in. She glanced at him curiously when he indicated a chair, and for a few moments he stood opposite, irresolute and frowning. Then he gave her Evelyn's note.
"After all, there is no reason you shouldn't read this," he said.
Carrie took the note and Jim thought her hand trembled when she returned it.
"I don't want you to be sorry; I want you to understand. Evelyn married somebody else this morning. Dick got a telegram."
"Let's be frank! It couldn't hurt my vanity, because I had none left. For all that, I got a knock. You see, I trusted Evelyn, and after the night on the sands felt myself a shabby cur; but I meant to keep my promise."
Carrie's face flushed delicately, although her voice was calm as she said, "I did not trust Evelyn. The trouble was, I couldn't warn you."
"Yet you wanted to warn me? Oh, I know! You have stood between me and trouble before, but this job was too big. It was not your pluck that failed; you knew my obstinacy----"
He stopped and Carrie was silent. He moved a few paces and came back.
"Well," he said hoarsely, "if you won't talk, you can listen. You have borne with my moods and I've got to let myself go now or be quiet for good; I'm something of a savage, but I've had to fight for all I wanted and winning made me proud. It gave me a ridiculous confidence. Well, I expect I reached the top of my folly when I got Evelyn. Then our adventure on the sands knocked me flat; I knew myself a despicable fool. I'd taken the best you had to give; let you nurse me when I was sick, and cook for me in the woods. I knew your worth and chose Evelyn! Then, when I'd promised to marry her, I took you in my arms and kissed you!"