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Wardour prepared to cast； without shaking the dice。
〃Shake the box； man！〃 cried Crayford。 〃Give yourself a chance of
luck！〃
Wardour persisted in letting the dice fall out carelessly； just as they lay
in the box。
〃Not I！〃 he muttered to himself。 〃I've done with luck。〃 Saying those
words； he threw down the empty box； and seated himself on the nearest
chest； without looking to see how the dice had fallen。
Crayford examined them。 〃Six！〃 he exclaimed。 〃There！ you have a
second chance； in spite of yourself。 You are neither under nor overyou
throw again。〃
〃Bah！〃 growled the Bear。 〃It's not worth the trouble of getting up for。
Somebody else throw for me。〃 He suddenly looked at Frank。 〃You！ you
have got what the women call a lucky face。〃
Frank appealed to Crayford。 〃Shall I？〃
〃Yes； if he wishes it；〃 said Crayford。
Frank cast the dice。 〃Two！ He stays！ Wardour； I am sorry I have
thrown against you。〃
〃Go or stay；〃 reiterated Wardour； 〃it's all one to me。 You will be luckier；
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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
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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
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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