Then there's the other side of the matter; the hardships a woman must
bear on the plains when money's scarce. The loneliness, the monotonous
drudgery, the heat, the Arctic cold."

"Miss Dalton looks as if she had pluck. She wouldn't be easily daunted."

"Do you think I don't know? But when you meet her you'll see that the
life we lead is impossible for a girl like that."

"It looks as if you wanted me to be your advocate," Festing remarked
rather dryly. "I'm to make all the excuses for you I can, and prove that
you were justified in breaking your engagement. I doubt if I'm clever
enough--"

Charnock stopped him. "No! Perhaps I used excuses, but my object is not
to clear myself." He paused and colored. "We'll admit that Helen lost
nothing when I gave her up; but a girl, particularly a young, romantic
girl, feels that kind of thing, and it might hurt worse if she thought
she had loved a wastrel. I want her to feel that I broke my engagement
for her sake, when nothing else was possible. That might soften the
blow, and I really think it's true."

"How much of it is true?" Festing asked bluntly.

"Ah," said Charnock, "you're an uncompromising fellow. You meant that if
you'd had my debts and difficulties, you could have made good?"

"I might; but we both know two or three other men whom I'd have backed
to do so."