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thrown against you。〃
〃Go or stay；〃 reiterated Wardour； 〃it's all one to me。 You will
be luckier； young one； when you cast for yourself。〃
Frank cast for himself。
〃Eight。 Hurrah！ I go！〃
〃What did I tell you？〃 said Wardour。 〃The chance was yours。 You
have thriven on my ill luck。〃
He rose； as he spoke； to leave the hut。 Crayford stopped him。
〃Have you anything particular to do； Richard？〃
〃What has anybody to do here？〃
〃Wait a little； then。 I want to speak to you when this business
is over。〃
〃Are you going to give me any more good advice？〃
〃Don't look at me in that sour way； Richard。 I am going to ask
you a question about something which concerns yourself。〃
Wardour yielded without a word more。 He returned to his chest；
and cynically composed himself to slumber。 The casting of the
lots went on rapidly among the officers and men。 In another
half…hour chance had decided the question of 〃Go〃 or 〃Stay〃 for
all alike。 The men left the hut。 The officers entered the inner
apartment for a last conference with the bed…ridden captain of
the _Sea…mew_。 Wardour and Crayford were left together； alone。
Chapter 9。
Crayford touched his friend on the shoulder to rouse him。 Wardour
looked up； impatiently； with a frown。
〃I was just asleep；〃 he said。 〃Why do you wake me？〃
〃Look round you； Richard。 We are alone。〃
〃Welland what of that？〃
〃I wish to speak to you privately； and this is my opportunity。
You have disappointed and surprised me to…day。 Why did you say it
was all one to you whether you went or stayed？ Why are you the
only man among us who seems to be perfectly indifferent whether
we are rescued or not？〃
〃Can a man always give a reason for what is strange in his manner
or his words？〃 Wardour retorted。
〃He can try；〃 said Crayford； quietly〃when his friend asks him。〃
Wardour's manner softened。
〃That's true；〃 he said。 〃I _will_ try。 Do you remember the first
night at sea when we sailed from England in the _Wanderer_？〃
〃As well as if it was yesterday。〃
〃A calm； still night；〃 the other went on； thoughtfully。 〃No
clouds； no stars。 Nothing in the sky but the broad moon； and
hardly a ripple to break the path of light she made in the quiet
water。 Mine was the middle watch that night。 You cam e on deck；
and found me alone〃
He stopped。 Crayford took his hand； and finished the sentence for
him。
〃Aloneand in tears。〃
〃The last I shall ever shed；〃 Wardour added； bitterly。
〃Don't say that！ There are times when a man is to be pitied
indeed； if he can shed no tears。 Go on； Richard。〃
Wardour proceededstill following the old recollections； still
preserving his gentler tones。
〃I should have quarreled with any other man who had surprised me
at that moment；〃 he said。 〃There was something； I suppose； in
your voice when you asked my pardon for disturbing me； that
softened my heart。 I told you I had met with a disappointment
which had broken me for life。 There was no need to explain
further。 The only hopeless wretchedness in this world is the
wretchedness that women cause。〃
〃And the only unalloyed happiness；〃 said Crayford； 〃the happiness
that women bring。〃
〃That may be your experience of them；〃 Wardour answered； 〃mine is
different。 All the devotion； the patience； the humility； the
worship that there is in man； I laid at the feet of a woman。 She
accepted the offering as women doaccepted it； easily；
gracefully； unfeelinglyaccepted it as a matter of course。 I
left England to win a high place in my profession； before I dared
to win _her_。 I braved danger； and faced death。 I staked my life
in the fever swamps of Africa； to gain the promotion that I only
desired for her sakeand gained it。 I came back to give her all；
and to ask nothing in return； but to rest my weary heart in the
sunshine of her smile。 And her own lipsthe lips I had kissed at
partingtold me that another man had robbed me of her。 I spoke
but few words when I heard that confession； and left her forever。
'The time may come；' I told her； 'when I shall forgive _you_。 But
the man who has robbed me of you shall rue the day when you and
he first met。' Don't ask me who he was！ I have yet to discover
him。 The treachery had been kept secret； nobody could tell me
where to find him； nobody could tell me who he was。 What did it
matter？ When I had lived out the first agony； I could rely on
myselfI could be patient； and bide my time。〃
〃Your time？ What time？〃
〃The time when I and that man shall meet face to face。 I knew it
then； I know it nowit was written on my heart then； it is
written on my heart nowwe two shall meet and know each other！
With that conviction strong within me； I volunteered for this
service； as I would have volunteered for anything that set work
and hardship and danger； like ramparts； between my misery and me。
With that conviction strong within me still； I tell you it is no
matter whether I stay here with the sick； or go hence with the
strong。 I shall live till I have met that man！ There is a day of
reckoning appointed between us。 Here in the freezing cold； or
away in the deadly heat； in battle or in shipwreck； in the face
of starvation； under the shadow of pestilenceI； though hundreds
are falling round me； I shall live！ live for the coming of one
day！ live for the meeting with one man！〃
He stopped； trembling； body and soul； under the hold that his own
terrible superstition had fastened on him。 Crayford drew back in
silent horror。 Wardour noticed the actionhe resented ithe
appealed； in defense of his one cherished conviction； to
Crayford's own experience of him。
〃Look at me！〃 he cried。 〃Look how I have lived and thriven； with
the heart…ache gnawing at me at home； and the winds of the icy
north whistling round me here！ I am the strongest man among you。
Why？ I have fought through hardships that have laid the
best…seasoned men of all our party on their backs。 Why？ What have
_I_ done； that my life should throb as bravely through every vein
in my body at this minute； and in this deadly place； as ever it
did in the wholesome breezes of home？ What am I preserved for？ I
tell you again； for the coming of one dayfor the meeting with
one man。〃
He paused once more。 This time Crayford spoke。
〃Richard！〃 he said； 〃since we first met； I have believed in your
better nature； against all outward appearance。 I have believed in
you； firmly； truly； as your brother might。 You are putting that
belief to a hard test。 If your enemy had told me that you had
ever talked as you talk now； that you had ever looked as you look
now； I would have turned my back on him as the utterer of a vile
calumny against a just； a brave； an upright man。 Oh！ my friend；
my friend； if ever I have deserved well of you； put away these
thoughts from your heart！ Face me again； with the stainless look
of a man who has trampled under his feet the bloody superstitions
of revenge； and knows them no more！ Never； never； let the time
come when I cannot offer you my hand as I offer it now； to the
man I can still admireto the brother I can still love！〃
The heart that no other voice could touch felt that appeal。 The
fierce eyes； the hard voice； softened under Crayford's influence。
Richard Wardour's head sank on his breast。
〃You are kinder to me than I deserve；〃 he said。 〃Be kinder still；
and forget what I have been talking about。 No！ no more about me；
I am not worth it。 We'll change the subject； and never go back to
it again。 Let's do something。 Work； Crayfordthat's the true
elixir of our life！ Work； that stretches the muscles and sets the
blood a…glowing。 Work； that tires the body and rests the mind。 Is
there nothing in hand that I can do？ Nothing to cut？ nothing to
carry？〃
The door opened as he put the question。 Batesonappointed to
chop Frank's bed…place into firingappeared punctually with his
ax。 Wardour； without a word of warning； snatched the ax out of
the man's hand。
〃What was this wanted for？〃 he asked。
〃To cut up Mr。 Aldersley's berth there into firing； sir。〃
〃I'll do it for you！ I'll have it down in no time！〃 He turned to
Crayford。 〃You needn't be afraid about me； old friend。 I am going
to do the right thing。 I am going to tire my body and rest my
mind。〃
The evil spirit in him was plainly subduedfor the time； at
least。 Crayford took his hand in silence； and then （followed by
Bateson） left him to his work。
Chapter 10。
Ax in hand； Wardour approached Frank's bed…place。
〃If I could only cut the thoughts out of me；〃 he said to himself；
〃as I am going to cut the billets out of this wood！〃 He attacked
the bed…place with the ax； like a man who well knew the use of
his instrument。 〃Oh me！〃 he thought； sadly； 〃if I had only been
born a carpenter instead of a gentleman！ A good ax； Master
BatesonI wonder where you got it？ Something like a grip； my
man； on this handle。 Poor Crayford！ his words stick in my throat。
A fine fellow！ a noble fellow！ No use thinking； no use
regretting； what is said； is said。 Work！ work！ work！〃
Plank after plank fell out on the floor。 He laughed over the easy
task of destruction。 〃Aha！ young Aldersley！ It doesn't take much
to demolish your bed…place。 I'll have it down！ I would have the
whole hut