CHAPTER VIII

THE SECOND ENGAGEMENT

Out in the night Jimmy Challoner stood for a moment in the darkness,
not knowing where to go or what to do.

He had had a bad shock. He could have borne it if she had only thrown
him over for that other man; but that she should have thought it worth
while to lie to him about it struck him to the soul. She had made a
fool of him--an utter and complete fool; he would never forgive her as
long as he lived.

After a moment he walked on. He carried his hat in his hand. The cool
night air fanned his hot forehead.

He had lost everything that had made life worth living; that was his
first passionate thought. Nobody wanted him--nobody cared a hang what
became of him; he told himself that he could quite understand poor
devils who jumped off bridges.

He went into the first restaurant he came to, and ordered a neat
brandy; that made him feel better, and he ordered a second on the
strength of it. The first shock had passed; anger took its place.

He would never forgive her; all his life he would never forgive her;