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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 pestilence
I； 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
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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
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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 down； if they
would only give me the chance of chopping at it！〃
A long strip of wood fell to his axlong enough to require cutting in
two。 He turned it； and stooped over it。 Something caught his eyeletters
carved in the wood。 He looked closer。 The letters were very faintly and
badly cut。 He could only make out the first three of them； and even of
those he was not quite certain。 They looked like C L Aif they looked like
anything。 He threw down the strip of wood irritably。
〃Dn the fellow （whoever he is） who cut this！ Why should he carve
_that_ name； of all the names in the world？〃
He paused； consideringthen determined to go on again with his self…
imposed labor。 He was ashamed of his own outburst。 He looked eagerly
for the ax。 〃Work； work！ Nothing for it but work。〃 He found the ax； and
went on again。
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He cut out another plank。
He stopped； and looked at it suspiciously。
There was carving again； on this plank。 The letters F。 and A。 appeared
on it。
He put down the ax。 There were vague misgivings in him which he
was not able to realize。 The state of his own mind was fast becoming a
puzzle to him。
〃More carving；〃 he said to himself。 〃That's the way these young idlers
employ their long hours。 F。 A。？ Those must be _his_ initialsFrank
Aldersley。 Who c arved the letters on the other plank？ Frank Aldersley；
too？〃
He turned the piece of wood in his hand nearer to the light； and looked
lower down it。 More carving again； lower down！ Under the initials F。 A。
were two more lettersC。 B。
〃C。 B。？〃 he repeated to himself。 〃His sweet heart's initials； I suppose？
Of courseat his agehis sw