and it made me miserable. I got drunk two evenings running, and then,
as it appeared afterwards, Mary consulted Jack, and at last she said to him,
when we were together --

`Do you play draughts, Mr Barnes?'

`No,' said Jack.

`Do you, Mr Wilson?' she asked, suddenly turning her big, bright eyes on me,
and speaking to me for the first time since last washing-day.

`Yes,' I said, `I do a little.' Then there was a silence,
and I had to say something else.

`Do you play draughts, Miss Brand?' I asked.

`Yes,' she said, `but I can't get any one to play with me here of an evening,
the men are generally playing cards or reading.' Then she said,
`It's very dull these long winter evenings when you've got nothing to do.
Young Mr Black used to play draughts, but he's away.'

I saw Jack winking at me urgently.

`I'll play a game with you, if you like,' I said, `but I ain't
much of a player.'

`Oh, thank you, Mr Wilson! When shall you have an evening to spare?'

We fixed it for that same evening. We got chummy over the draughts.
I had a suspicion even then that it was a put-up job to keep me away