Tales of Terror and Mystery

           "

           "What!Youaresofondofadventures!"

           "Wherewouldthevarietyoflifebewithoutthem?ItwasforanadventurethatIfirstbegantopaymyattentionstoher.I’vechasedagooddealofgameinmytime,butthere’snochaselikethatofaprettywoman.Therewasthepiquantdifficultyofitalso,for,asshewasthecompanionofLadyEmilyRood,itwasalmostimpossibletoseeheralone.Onthetopofalltheotherobstacleswhichattractedme,Ilearnedfromherownlipsveryearlyintheproceedingsthatshewasengaged."

           "MeinGott!Towhom?"

           "Shementionednonames."

           "Idonotthinkthatanyoneknowsthat.Sothatmadetheadventuremorealluring,didit?"

           "Well,itdidcertainlygiveaspicetoit.Don’tyouthinkso?"

           "ItellyouthatIamveryignorantaboutthesethings."

           "Mydearfellow,youcanrememberthattheappleyoustolefromyourneighbour’streewasalwayssweeterthanthatwhichfellfromyourown.AndthenIfoundthatshecaredforme."

           "What—atonce?"

           "Oh,no,ittookaboutthreemonthsofsappingandmining.ButatlastIwonherover.Sheunderstoodthatmyjudicialseparationfrommywifemadeitimpossibleformetodotherightthingbyher—butshecameallthesame,andwehadadelightfultime,aslongasitlasted."

           "Buthowabouttheotherman?"

           Kennedyshruggedhisshoulders.

           "Isupposeitisthesurvivalofthefittest,"saidhe."Ifhehadbeenthebettermanshewouldnothavedesertedhim.Let’sdropthesubject,forIhavehadenoughofit!"

           "Onlyoneotherthing.Howdidyougetridofherinthreeweeks?"

           "Well,wehadbothcooleddownabit,youunderstand.